Trigger-Happy (Old Version)
by Understated Elegance
Summary: Fable 3/ Reaver figured out Alice pretty quick. She was ridiculously tenderhearted, outrageously opinionated, & downright innocent to a flaw. She was perfect. Sadly, The Crawler wants to lay claim on her as well. Rated M for a reason. /Reaver
1. The Betrayal of Alice Crow

_Author's Note:_

_Hey everyone, just popping in for a moment to say I hope you like my story. I'll do my best to keep Reaver authentic & badass!_

* * *

"You're not going to put on any make-up?"

Alice looked up at her mother after pulling the straightening iron from her hair, the hot tresses floating down to her waist. Alice rolled her eyes & stood up, only to be pushed back into the seat in front of her vanity rather forcefully. Without asking for permission, the older woman pulled Alice's hair away from her face before she reached into an unused drawer where all of Alice's makeup was. Alice narrowed her eyes. Hadn't she thrown away that lipstick over two weeks ago?

"Alice, you can't just go on a date looking like the homeless," her mother chided, irritation lacing her usually smooth voice. Alice refused to respond & closed her eyes as her mother gently covered a few zit scars at the chin & one at the forehead with concealer. Alice hated this; Mrs. Crow was so concerned with not only her own appearance, but her daughter's. When Alice's father walked out on the woman after finding out that an affair led to pregnancy, she had convinced herself that the only way females could function in the world was through beauty.

Alice finally opened her eyes & tried not to grimace at her reflection. Her pale skin now looked flawless under a thin layer of expensive make-up, thanks to her mother's handiwork. & here she thought actually putting effort into fixing her hair & wearing a skirt for once in her life could count for something.

**…_..._...**

Alice sighed as she kicked a bit of gravel that graced the streets of the London Cinema. James still hadn't arrived for their date even though he was the one that set everything up & made her promise to be on time. Since she was starting college next week, it would probably be pretty hard for them to spend very much time together for a while, & he said that it was his treat. Now he was almost two hours late, & Alice was done waiting around; their movie was already done anyway. While waiting, she had bought new gauges with hearts in the middle of the tunnels, & even bought herself two refills of strawberry soda. Now she was cranky, had to pee, & was still in a damn skirt that she constantly had to readjust so it wouldn't wrap around her waist.

Looking at her watch once more, she finally gave up on waiting for James to show & headed home. Maybe he thought they were supposed to meet at her house? At any rate, she didn't have her cell phone on her, so calling him yet was out of the question. After a long trek to her house, Alice stopped at the front steps while two familiar voices drifted to her ears.  
She paled & clumsily unlocked the front door, opening it only to see James fucking her mom on the couch. James; her boyfriend of two months. So much for the idea that they were going to meet at her house. Alice bit her lower lip & shook her head as her purse fell to the floor. No, no, no, no, no… This wasn't happening. Not again.

Alice stared in a mixture of shock and anger at the pair, a sick feeling growing in her stomach. She turned on her heel and ran out of the house, her mother calling after her while James fumbled with his pants in order to give chase. She ran faster despite their shouting, ignoring the rustling in the bushes and the noise from the traffic on the road. Too occupied with the seething anger to stop, she kept fleeing the scene until the yells of her mother & boyfriend faded to nothing.

Her mother was such a slut! Yes, she raised Alice after getting pregnant with a man she couldn't remember & made Alice's life as comfortable as possible, but did that give her the right to steal James? Hell no!

**…_..._...**

When she stopped running a few blocks away, Alice could feel something closing in on her. Now, she was certain that something was following her. Alice looked around as she gasped for breath, wondering what was around her. It was there, lurking in the shadows, & Alice did like it. Something inside kept screaming for her to run, to escape whatever was approaching. Unable to take the feel of her hair standing on end, Alice ran to the gas station about a block away & locked the door to the single-person bathroom. She needed to think; collect her thoughts even. Everything that happened today was boiling up inside her, making her just about ready to explode.

_**"You want them dead,"**_ a voice suddenly hissed from the background. Alice froze & turned her entire body around, fearing whatever it was. The lights began to flicker, Alice propped herself up on the bathroom sink to keep herself from falling to the ground… & then it was upon her. A large dragon-resembling creature appeared before her, his four ink black eyes staring intently. She could swear that the frightening monster was smiling at her with his huge, pointed teeth & fierce dog breath, making the nervous sweat on her neck chill. Alice screamed as she fell back, black gunk forming from the ground & literally flowing up to drag her in.

_**"Darkness… will consume all,"**_ it said as the black goo completely covered her. It then pulled her into the mirror, Alice clinging to the edges before she was ripped into it completely. Alice's next conscious thought was that she was falling, & needed something to help stop her fall.


	2. Mirrors Can't Hold Human weight?

Reaver sighed as he emptied his goblet of wine once again, gulping it down greedily; a pleasant buzz filled his body with warm, but he couldn't seem to enjoy it. While these whores had indeed satiated his needs tonight, they tended to talk a lot when he didn't give them something to put into their mouths. He simply hated a chattering female so late at night, especially when they weren't even talking about him.

"Well Ladies, with my deepest regrets, I announce our wine has diminished for the evening, and I am too tired to keep playing," Reaver finally announced as he climbed out of bed, "You are all relieved of your obligation in my home as of now." The girls all whined & pouted at Reaver's sudden curt attitude, but did just as he ordered when his hand wrapped reflexively around his trusty Dragon Stomper 48. No one wanted to be around that man when he had that pistol on hand. Quickly, the girls dressed & flooded out of Reaver's "pleasure chamber" while Reaver poured the rest of his wine into his goblet & drank it down. In the distance he could hear his shameless butler, Barry, flirting with the call girls as they left Reaver's mansion & headed back towards town. Usually Reaver would have a carriage bring them back to Bowerstone, but the idea of mercenaries getting their mitts on the annoying chatter boxes was just too droll.

Reaver headed back to his room, climbing into bed nude; why bother with night clothes if you were just going to change out of them in the morning? He smiled dashingly at his reflection in the mirror above his bed. He loved the adventurous ideas that sometimes popped into his lavish thoughts of toiling around in the sheets. Maybe tomorrow he would take a few partners to this bed for once & play with them under this mirror. Oh, the delicious possibilities. While the possibilities turned in his mind rather drowsy mind, Reaver tensed up for a moment, seeing an odd… swirling in his mirror.

He grabbed his pistol when a black shadow unmistakably formed into it, & then black goo filmed onto its surface. Then, it began to drip onto his fine sheets, & Reaver cocked his gun. As he aimed, the blob formed into the shape of a woman in one bigger drop of goo. Then the goo began to recede into the mirror as a harsh heavy growl filled the room, lacing the room with cold dread as Reaver's eyes narrowed perceptively. & now, hanging from the mirror frame, was a young woman. Reaver almost shot her on impulse, but somehow restrained himself from doing so.

"What the devil?" he mused in awe at the sight of a person literally jamming herself in the frame of his mirror so they wouldn't fall. Just who was this brazen minx, & how did she get into his home through a looking glass? His thoughts were cut short when he heard a cracking sound from the frame of the mirror. But the girl still wouldn't pull herself from the frame, her eyes shut tight & her entire body tensed. He didn't know if she even realized her current peril… wait, their peril. Immediately, Reaver pulled himself from bed & backed away, just in case. He wasn't going to let himself get caught in the crossfire & let her ruin his beautiful face.

"You should really consider unhinging yourself from my mirror; it's going to fall apart," Reaver finally suggested. The girl opened her eyes, mesmerizing Reaver for a moment as he finally noticed their beauty, as well as her entire person… & curvaceous frame. She was a real beauty. The sides of his mouth curled up into a cat-like, predator's grin as thoughts of what he'd like to do to those fine curves invaded his thoughts.

While Reaver was lost in thought, it also crossed his mind that travel via bedroom mirror was not normal. Was the girl supposed to be some kind of Will user, inventor, or dare he say… a ghost? Reaver looked back up at the young woman again & pushed his ghost theory out of his mind. His third idea was entirely off; she looked _nothing_ like a spirit.

The mirror frame let another cracking sound, making him sigh. Was she really that afraid of dropping onto his plush, inviting bed? Maybe she had a thing against heights. Putting his pistol on the table, Reaver moved to the edge of the bed, frowning just a bit as both the girl & his mirror slipped. He just hoped she fell first; that mirror cost a fortune. Holding out his arms just a few feet from the girl, Reaver gave her a charming smile & winked. Though she was preoccupied, the girl blushed darkly, her eyes wide.

"Go ahead & fall, Sweetheart," Reaver offered with another wink, "Your Prince Charming will catch you." The strange girl vehemently shook her head. In Alice's point of view, falling into the arms of some unknown, naked man was NOT a good trade. She'd rather get sliced to ribbons by the mirror.

After a full 50 seconds of holding her weight though, the mirror broke. The frame snapped apart & the girl fell, letting out a shriek that made Reaver cringe; did she have to be so bloody loud? He guessed he would do the poor girl a favour as his arm shot out & forcefully grabbed her arm, jerking her out of the mirror's way just in time. She fell on top of him clumsily as the mirror landed on Reaver's bed, thankfully not shattering on impact. With a sigh, he sat up, forcefully holding the now squirming girl against him as he grabbed her wrists & forced her to stand. The girl tried to wriggle away as she screamed yells & curses, but her attempts to escape were futile. Reaver was not about to let her just run off, especially after she just morphed from his mirror of all things. Now he had several questions that she was going to ask before she could leave his sight for a single moment.

"Let me go, you bastard!" the girl yelled, kicking at Reaver viciously. He smiled at her wild behaviour & spun her away from him, pinning her arms behind her back. But not without peeking into her blouse for a brief moment.

"Barry!" Reaver called out as he started to drag his new "guest" to the pleasure chamber hidden behind the bookcase. The wild thing was still yelling, trying to kick him, bite him, anything to get him to release her. He smirked, noting that Barry was now in the room when he opened the secret entrance to his chosen destination.

"Fix this blasted hazard & remount by morning," Reaver finally ordered the man as he managed to grab the girl's arms with one of his large hands & pointed to the mirror laid out on his large bed, "When I check it tomorrow, a person had better be able to hang from it safely." Barry nodded like a good butler, but wondered what kind of kinky purpose Reaver would need such a sturdy mirror for, & where the hell his catty female companion came from.

Reaver's grip was hard as steel as he pulled Alice to his pleasure chamber, but she didn't seem to be intimidated one bit by his power over her. She fought him even when he put her in the cage, swiping a well-aimed fist at his head. Reaver all too easily dodged the swing & laughed at her ruefully. She was more of a fighter than she looked; he'd keep that in mind for the future.

"Come now, child, is all of this fuss necessary?" Reaver taunted with a dangerous grin after locking the cage door & shaking the key just out of her reach. Alice screamed something incomprehensive at him & jammed herself against the cage, allowing him a generous view of her body pushing into the bars.

"Now now, my pet; we'll have more time for that kind of fun later," Reaver mused as he sauntered back to the bed still in his nude glory & sat on the edge, "For the moment, I need to know how you travelled into my home through a mirror."


	3. Just a Small Peek

Alice sighed again as she curled against her knees in her hanging cage, the man who called himself Reaver watching her with the most amused smirk on his annoyingly perfect face. She wanted to punch him so badly now, her knuckles were pulsing. She didn't like him at all. The way he talked, walked, & treated Alice screamed of dominance.

"So, you mean to tell me that you caught your lover-"

"Ex-lover!"

"Oh yes; your ex-lover & mother . Which, might I say is not so uncommon for devotees of pleasure, but I digress. You then fled the scene with your dearest heart broken, and The Crawler abruptly hauled you to my world via bathroom mirror?"

"If that's what you call it," Alice hissed, not nearly as amused as Reaver as she hugged her knees closer. She should have known a man with clothes of men & women all over a bondage filled room would have sympathy on her, but she could always hope. What was up with this room, anyway? She couldn't tell if Reaver really liked candles, or if she was thrown back to a time before electricity.

"Now just let me out. This cage is fucking cold!" Alice yelled, kicking the bars of the cage with a loud clang. Reaver stopped his chuckling for a moment, giving her a puzzled look. There she went again with her odd behaviors; so unladylike.

"Fucking?" he repeated, making the girl want to smack him with renewed anger. She didn't like the double entendre he decided to slip into her colorful language. Note to self; watch everything you say in front of Reaver.

Alice groaned & hit her head back against bars on the other side of the cage, Reaver deciding to lose interest in her bold swears as he stood & regarded her thoughtfully. There was one more issue for him to explore; her outlandish beauty, & more importantly, the odd clothing she wore.

Being as inexperienced as she was, Alice couldn't recognize the sensual gleam in Reaver's eyes, but it scared her nonetheless. She backed against the bars on the other side of her cage & flinched when Reaver reached inside, caressing the leggings under her skirt. Reaver wondered why she was dressed so strangely in the tiny dress, odd blouse, & irritating cloth hose that covered her naughty bits. Her peculiar attire was literally the most revealing & concealing thing he had ever seen on a woman.

"You will share my bed with me tonight," Reaver announced casually as he unlocked the cage. Alice scowled & crossed her arms, Reaver's eyes still drinking in her demeanor & the dangerous glitter in her eyes that anger had created. That annoying clothing of hers was still frustrating him, but that would be easily fixed.

"Sweetheart, I am not requesting," Reaver said in a more stern tone, "You are already missing out on my amazing skills as a lover tonight; I am simply too weary from playing earlier to have such delicious fun with you. But you will slumber with me. Or… you can stay in this cage. Either way, I need a good night's rest, & you are welcome to join me."

Alice continued to scowl, but Reaver took her silence as an affirmation & dragged her out of the cage by her dainty ankle. She let out a rather adorable squeal when his large hands grasped her hips & he placed her onto the ground before him. He had to hold back a chuckle when he realized how short she was, even compared to other women her age.

Without lingering, Reaver went into one of the dressers in his pleasure room & tossed a night gown at Alice. Clean, efficient, & entirely easy to tear off. Perfect for the off chance that he changed his mind about playing with her in the sheets. Tossing the flimsy garment to Alice, Reaver smirked when she stared expectantly at him with a stubbornness he was too tired to match, but all too willing to challenge. But he might just be charitable for tonight.

"Oh fine, I will be a gentleman & turn away," he purred, slowly making his way to the bed & placed his gun on the bedside table & smoothed his dark hair before turning around & peeking at the changing girl.

By Avo's grace, she was a beauty to behold. Her body was rather slight, but he could see she might have a weakness for one too many deserts with the way her bottom rounded out, as well as the slightest hint of softness at the belly. When Alice finally began to button up the nightgown, Reaver rose his gaze to her face. She had jet black hair that hung straight, cascading to her waist, & though he couldn't be certain, it looked like she has tubes running through her ears, stretching out where he imagined two normal ear piercings used to be. A rather odd fashion statement for someone who didn't hail from Rituu or Gatalia, but nothing that made him question her sanity. When it came to inspect Alice's eyes, Reaver found himself watching her again. One was a playful green, while the other was a gentle blue. Of course, Reaver had seen his genetic defect once or twice, but never had the eyes been so vivid & with personality. Well, he was glad she had such pretty eyes; tiny girls without curves like Alice never really caught his attention.

"What are you DOING?" Alice abruptly yelled, breaking Reaver free of his appreciation of her body. Alice was now in the gown, crossing her arms angrily. Rever chuckled when he saw her odd undergarments under it & climbed into bed without gracing her with his answer, deciding to inspect them closer some other time. Who wore a corset that only covered the breasts? & why the hell was she wearing them at night? He thought women liked to take off their corsets when they were sleeping… such a pity.

Alice, meanwhile, contemplated running away from Reaver, but that just seemed like stupidity when she laid out the facts. He had a gun. He never seemed to let that gun leave his sight, and he was… odd, at best. Her chances weren't so great if she actually took off into the night either. She didn't even know what kind of community Reaver lived in, because his pleasure room had no windows. She was decidedly stuck for now. But tomorrow, she would force him to help her return home. She had two people of her own to kill.

"It's time for bed, my pet," Reaver said, his tone with more authority than a mere request, "I wish to hold you until you drift away into slumber." Alice blushed darkly, totally indignant. Once again, he was acting like he owned her! Her first thought was to tell him that she had a boyfriend, but decided not to. He already knew that wasn't true.

With that thought, Alice decided that she wanted to sleep with Reaver now, who was lying on his side, his arms held out expectantly & his eyes warning her not to misbehave. She then realized that she was going to be held by a very desirable, if not fatally dangerous man tonight. She wished James could see the way she willingly climbed in bed with another man when she refused to even take a nap fully clothed with him. If she were to be forced to give up her virginity to a total stranger, Reaver would be the one to con her into his inviting arms. & she would probably accept. Alice was a virgin, not a holy nun.

But if Reaver touched Alice without her consent now that she had his word that her virtue was protected, he would be eating his own teeth for a meal. Alice tried not to smile at the thought of the great handsome Reaver becoming a toothless wonder & climbed into his massive bed. When she didn't move quickly enough for him, Reaver grabbed Alice by the wrist & dragged her to him, grinning smugly at the soft squeak she released, coupled with a delightful blush on her cheeks. It was particularly hard for him to wait until she rested against him to wrap his arm around her, making Alice both captured & safe for the night. He grit his teeth & willed himself not to get hard when her bottom inadvertently rubbed against his crotch lightly, knowing he was too tired to have another round. She'd probably kick & scream the whole time anyway.

"Good night… Reaver," the man heard as he wet his fingertips & extinguished the bedside candle. Their only source of light now was a low red glow from the paper lanterns that seemed to float in the air with magic. He could see her watching them with awe& went rigid as she unconsciously began cuddling closer to him & his groin. Didn't the little fool know what she was doing to him? Probably not. Already, he'd pointed out her weaknesses. Parents, sex, & her appearance seemed to haunt her.

"Good night, dear," Reaver's replied as he closed his eyes, forcing himself to sleep. Alice would have to pay for her teasing tomorrow, whether she meant to or not.

After Reaver fell asleep, Alice decided that she didn't feel so comfortable all smushed against a naked man. The novelty of it had worn off, & now she was just embarrassed that she'd thought sleeping next to Reaver was a good idea. She gently grabbed the sleeping man's hand, pulling it off. Sliding away, she froze at the sight of something disturbing.

Lurking in the corner was something that Alice could only identify as a pitch black child, her edges blurred by shadows. She took a step forward & Alice slid back to Reaver & buried herself back into his arms. He jumped a bit, alert but still half-asleep.

"What, you changed your mind?" he mumbled into Alice's hair as he sleepily wrapped his arms around her & held her tighter against him, "Late nights are bad for the skin, Love. We can have fun in the morning… I am amazing in the morning." Alice rolled her eyes, but when she looked back at the corner of the room, the shadow was gone. Maybe she could put up with Reaver if it meant the shadows would leave her alone.


	4. Crappy Morning in the Reaver Mansion

_Author's Note:_

_Someone has drawn it to my attention that I changed Alice's ex's name (James to Jared). That was honestly all me, & Alice is not a forgetful tard. I promise. & now it's fixed! Yay! __As for her becoming a Mary Sue? Fuck. No. Where's the fun in a perfectly perfect girl falling in love with a psychopath? NONE! Trust me, you guys. Alice will be pretty flawed herself! MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!_

_Reaver: I still get to bed her, right? –cocks his gun-_

_Me: of course, of course! -panics- you might just have to wait a few chapters…._

_Reaver: -narrows his eyes & aims-_

_Me: Don't worry! Really! There will still be action… maybe a liiiiittle sexual abuse?_

_Reaver: -stops aiming- capital Brilliant idea! Congratulations, sweetheart. I still have use for you._

* * *

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry," Alice heard for the thousandth time as she kicked off her shoes. Her pathetic ex had already run off home, not man enough to even look her in the eyes as he tripped over his own feet to run out the door. Alice's mother was adjusting her clothes, but her make-up was totally smeared & the smell of James's cheap cologne was still in the room. & Alice was definitely NOT in a forgiving mood. Quickly, she walked to the tv set & picked up the vase of flowers that James had given to her for their one month anniversary; they were dried & crunched now, but Alice had kept them because she's really loved James. She thought that he loved her too. Lying bastard. She carelessly grabbed them out of the vase & tossed them into the kitchen trash.

"Would you like some strawberry a la mode, Alice dear?" the older woman asked, following Alice to the kitchen like a lost puppy. Alice narrowed her eyes & kept walking to the fridge. This was actually not the first time that Alice's mother had stolen a boyfriend; it was actually around the fifth or sixth. & every time, her mother would make some extravagant dessert (Alice adored sweet things) & Alice would give in to her mother's pleas. The woman was sick. She had to be if the only men she could "love" were her college student's over-sexed boyfriends. & the fact that Alice didn't have sex with these men herself only added to their bastard natures. No sex from the girlfriend? Fuck her totally willing MILF mom.

Alice tried to calm her head as her mother decided to work on the sweet dessert anyway, once again muttering to herself that everything would be "alright". But Alice knew it wasn't alright. Her control was slipping; she knew it was slipping. She was more livid with her mom than she had ever been before.

Then… blackness.

Then… red.

Alice trembled as she looked down at her twitching mother, covered in blood & vicious stab wounds. The woman looked up at Alice with dead eyes, her last expression being total & utter fear. Alice dropped her knife & got off of her mother. Her stomach turned, & the girl leaned over the edge of the sink puking her cheeseburger & soda lunch into it. What the fuck had she just done?

_**"You want her dead,"**_ a familiar voice called softly, _**"You want to rip her heart out, just as she's done to you, so… many… times…"**_ Alice rested her forehead on the cool metal of the sink & squeezed her eyes shut tightly, the metallic taste & smell of blood still invading senses. Even when she closed her eyes, she still saw red everywhere.

**T**hen the room went dark. The sunlight of outside was gone, & the only faction of light glowed from Alice's mother. With sick fascination, Alice moved over her mother again & picked up the bloody carving knife they used for last thanksgiving**; f**unny how she remembered what it was used for at a time like this. Slowly, the young woman sliced open the corpse to see it was her mother's heart that glowed. It filled Alice with rage, & she immediately hated her mother more. Her mother didn't deserve this light. Not after all of the pain she put her own daughter through!

Alice wildly stabbed the knife into the glowing heart, her eyes brimming with tears when she realized that no matter how much she stabbed, the glow would not fade. Her mother & her wicked ways refused to die.

"IT'S NOT FAIR!" Alice shrieked, driving her knife down one more time, as deeply as she could.

_"What's not fair, my dear?"_

Alice awoke from her dream suddenly, releasing a large gasp of breath she didn't know she was holding. Right above her, Reaver stared down at her with an odd facial expression while she struggled to breathe, one she could only register as amusement & curiosity. Alice looked away dizzily & then turned over as she tried to quell her loathing of herself. In all her life, she'd never gone that far with her anger.

Reaver sat up & watched the strange girl as she started to cry into one of his fine pillows. What in the devil brought this on? He couldn't recall being rude to her. & he was certain that she wasn't awake earlier when he pulled up her nightgown to inspect her peculiar undergarments. To his delight, they were the embodiment of feminine, both made of fine cloth & adorable laced bows. He would have to order his tailor to make similar garments & then force Alice to model him in the most lewd ways imaginable.

Thinking of fine cloth, Reaver twitched slightly in irritation at the damage she was causing to the silk that wrapped his pillow, but resisted pulling out his Dragon Stomper 48. This woman… no, this LITTLE GIRL was lucky that she was so fascinating to him or Barry would have blood & another pretty face to clean up from the floor. But until he found out if her ability to travel through mirrors could be replicated, she was… fairly safe from his wrath.

With great difficulty & awkwardness, Reaver reached down & pulled Alice into his arms, very uncomfortably trying to sooth her in her nearly catatonic state. The tears began to soak his bare chest instead & it was all he could do not to lose his temper. He detested crying women, & he hated the mess it made of their faces. Thankfully, she didn't look too displeasing when she pulled back, & he forced himself not to look away from her face as he grabbed a kerchief & rubbed the running mascara from her cheeks. It didn't exactly please him that her mascara had already ruined his pillow case, either. At least Alice was calming down now; the sounds of her sobs had grated his nerves.

"I killed her," Alice finally choked out. Reaver stayed silent & quirked an interested brow. She was freaking out over one paltry murder? He didn't even care who "her" was, because it really didn't matter at all. A corpse was a corpse. & Reaver had killed three… no four people just yesterday. That was one of his good, less hectic days. He snickered a bit at her weeping over such a matter & Alice looked up at him, suddenly _angry_. Reaver continued to grin back at her, challenging her to act on that irritation. Alice didn't attack, but her nails did sink rather painfully into his arms as Reaver leaned in & kissed her forehead. Alice instantaneously recoiled & shrunk away from him.

So Alice was one of THOSE types, was she? Reaver rather liked the idea of taming this fiery prude. The ideas of how he could corrupt her virgin body were already filling his perverse mind with sure to come ecstasy. But that would have to wait for now. As luck would have it, Reaver had to work today. Some workers seemed to be planning a revolt in his company, & he would have to shoot the ring leaderto make them all just lay back down, like good dogs.

"Well, I know this will break your delicate heart, but I have to part for a while," Reaver said as he finally tore himself from the seething woman in his bed, "But I will return in a few hours, however. I have planned a grand party for tonight, & you will be my guest of honor." Alice continued to glare, but Reaver ignored her & went to his room, Alice following with seething anger exuding from her entire being. Without warning, he dressed before her in a usual ensemble of white clothing, black top hat, & goggles, as well as his cane that rested in its usual place by the coat rack. If Alice was angry before, now she was furious. Reaver looked back at her when he was dressed, satisfied with the mortified expression on her face, coupled with the lovely shade of red that stained her cheeks. He wondered if she'd even noticed his state of nudity before he started dressing.

"Oh, how I will miss you so, my lovely flower!" Reaver said in mock sincerity when he embraced Alice suddenly, making the girl struggle & try to pull away from him while she yelled rather colorful threats at him, using that unladylike vocabulary of hers again. Her warm curves pressed on him in her thin nightgown & it was all he could do not to throw her onto the floor & take her there. My, my, he was a bit more impatient than usual today. Maybe a break from the little minx would be beneficial for them both.

"Barry!" Reaver called, the livid curses coming from Alice's mouth entertaining him further. Barry came in within seconds, his portly & rather grimy body sweating a bit from his obvious effort to get there quickly. Reaver, grabbed Alice's wrist & pulled her before him.

"Dress her in the finest for this evening," Reaver ordered before callously pushing the girl forward with his foot on her bottom. Alice stumbled forward & Reaver exited his bedroom without so much as giving her a wayward glance while Barry was forced to break her fall by spreading himself across the door frame. Alice collided into him & then recoiled when a sick look of glee crossed the lecher's face.

"& Barry…" Reaver added while turning on his heel to face his guest & servant. A devilishly attractive grin played on his lips & Alice blushed darkly despite herself. Barry flinched however, knowing the real meaning behind that smile. Reaver walked closer, his intent a bit more apparent to Alice as he stopped just before her & gently straightened the frills on her nightgown.

"If she escapes while under your watch, I will kill you both."

Alice's moment of swooning was gone in an instant, & she paled considerably. No wonder why the bastard thought her nightmare was amusing earlier. He was fucking psycho! Pulling Alice closer & kissing her cheek, Reaver turned on his heel again & exited the manor, the huge front doors closing with a rumble.

**…_..._...**

Reaver walked back into his factory, his gun still warm as it was put back into its holster. The little uprising planned for today turned out to be nothing but one man complaining about how "horrible" & "cruel" that he was. Four shots into the sodder & his employees went right back to work like they should. Now he could go back to the mansion & tease his new guest some more. But not before paying one of his frequent visits in Millifields.

"Come on in!" the wife gushed as she stood beside the front door. Reaver let himself in, winking playfully at her husband who was finishing his lunch. The man blushed & smiled; both of them knew why Reaver was here. With that in mind, the wife locked their door & drew the curtains as her husband followed Reaver to the bedroom as he walked through their home as if he owned it. Before he went back to the mansion, a little bit of… release was needed.

Mr. & Mrs. Jenson were his latest project yet. He hadn't slept with either yet; oh no, he wanted them both at the same time, but the gentle Mrs. Jenson had been far too embarrassed to kiss in front of Reaver at first. By Avo, he would have them this afternoon. When he left, they would both be dead. Hey may as well get a little fun in on it first, right?

They weren't going to fight. Mr. Jenson, as it turned out, had a good, lengthy talk with his wife, & now she seemed all too eager to please as she moved before Reaver & began to undress him in the doorway of their bedroom. Reaver smiled at the woman, showing his appreciation, & shoved her back on the bed when her husband came into the room, shutting the bedroom door behind him.


	5. You Need A Man's Touch

Alice clung to Reaver's bedpost as the maid tightened her corset painfully. As if she weren't skinny enough, they tied this torture device onto her, ripping the breath out of her. When the maids were finally satisfied & finished, Reaver opened the door unceremoniously just in time to see Alice pass out, her body falling to the floor. Reaver, unable to contain himself, immediately began to laugh uncontrollably as maids hurriedly untied her corset & helped her onto the bed to breathe. With a lewd, cat-like smirk, Reaver ceased his laughing & beckoned a maid to him before he began to pull off is outer wear. First, the coat & hat, then his cane, & lastly his leather gloves, his maid almost swooning when the dashing Reaver slowly removed them with his teeth in a rather sexy display. With shaking legs, his hired help left to go pick up the articles of clothing.

"Ladies, I believe I can take over," Reaver said, leaning over Alice as he gently patted her cheek to wake her, "Go on & prepare the decorations for the party. I want nothing but the finest for my guests." Reaver's maids nodded, one going to retrieve the tailor who would dress Alice tonight. Meanwhile, Alice groaned & slowly roused just in time to see the maids leaving & Reaver climbing over her on the bed. Immediately, the girl began to panic & tried to crawl away, almost ripping her loose petticoats. Reaver simply smiled & grabbed at her delicious hips, holding her still under him.

"Calm yourself, my dearest," Reaver murmured comfortingly, trying to seem safe even though his hand was pushing her face into the fluffy comforter of the bed, quieting her yells & screams effectively. He pulled Alice's petticoats up to slacken her corset while she wiggled under him & smiled when he felt her smooth legs in the process. It was such a good idea to take off his gloves for this. The feel of her soft skin made him hard again, & wanting to shirk his responsibility as host for tonight, just to stay with Alice for the night & break her down.

But while in town, he had decided that a woman with Alice's stubbornness would have to throw herself on him, nay beg for him. The stronger she fought him, the lower he would force her to bow. At this point, he'd only be satisfied with her crawling to him, begging him for a release that only he could give her. His captive would just have to be a little nicer, or learn how to beg like a good pet. & he had a feeling she would fight to the bitter end.

"Get the hell off of me, Reaver," Alice finally hissed when Reaver released his hold on the back of her head, as if just to prove his point. He was a bit shocked by her brazen; someone had certainly told her by now to refer to him as "Master Reaver" & not so casually as she just had. But this just added to the fun. Alice tried to squirm away while Reaver mused to himself, but he grew a bit impatient with her squirming, & mortified the girl by pulling her petticoats over her bar bottom & giving her a quick swat. Alice squealed angrily & Reaver chuckled, sitting up to start pulling her corset strings.

"Now, now, my lovely," Reaver cautioned as he gently tightened her clothes, "Just like I will need a woman's touch to straighten my bow, you need a man's touch to have this put on correctly. Just relax & I will be finished in moments." Alice growled again, but didn't say anything more. Despite her anger, Reaver made putting on the corset a lot less painful, especially with his body so close to hers; not that she would admit it.

Reaver leaned over Alice as he slowly tightened each section of her corset, moving all the way up to the top where he kissed her shoulder, smirking when he felt her shudder just a bit under his lips. He said nothing & then continued tightening the corset, stopping at her first small grunt of pain. He had no interest in making Alice skinnier than she was, being a man who liked substance. She looked like a starved, homeless girl from Bowerstone. Alice relaxed again when Reaver stopped pulling on her corset, her eyes closing while her tied the strings & then fastened all of the clips that went over the ties.

"T-thanks," Alice murmured while Reaver finished, but all too quickly. Knowing the girl wouldn't be able to get up on her own, Reave ran a hand down her back slowly & turned her over when his hands reached her waist before slowly moving over & resting his body down onto hers. Immediately, Alice began to struggle under him, but once again, his strength proved to be an effective way to keep her pinned in place while he reached up & toyed with her hair, caressed her cheeks, & even playfully wiggled his finger inside of the gauges in her ears.

"You bastard," Alice growled half-heartedly, wincing when she reached up to slap him, only to have her hands held down on the bed rather painfully. A grim smirk appeared on Reaver's lips before he grabbed one of her wrists & kissed it gently with shameless lust in his eyes, loving the feel of her pulse under his lips. He could feel her growing excitement despite the scowl she kept on her face, the heat from her racing blood, & the pounding of her erratic heartbeat.

"You minx," Reaver countered with a mask of absolute calm, "Don't worry, you silly thing. I just want a kiss." Alice scowled through a dark blush & shook her head with vehemence, pursing her lips tightly together. Reaver let out a playful growl & leaned down to tried & kiss her anyway, eventually losing patience when his mouth only landed on her cheeks several times. The wicked man grabbed Alice's face by the cheeks & finally kissed her lips. But there was the problem of her keeping her mouth pressed together.

"Sweet Alice, let me kiss you," he murmured invitingly, trying to lure her in with gentleness first. His tongue softly glided along her stubborn lips, but alas, Alice did have a good magnitude of self-restraint.

"I don't want you to kiss me, you bastard," Alice hissed when Reaver finally pulled his lips away.

"Then how about you give it a go with Barry? He would be happy to take my place."

"No."

"A maid?"

"Hell no!"

"Then how about-"

"NO!"

Reaver smiled again & pressed his upper body down on Alice once more. She shifted under him uncomfortably & refused his inviting lips again. Well, gentleness didn't work, so now it was time to try a threat.

"I will make you dance every one of my guests tonight if you do not indulge me with a mere kiss, Alice," Reaver warned the girl. He still had a smile, but his eyes were threatening her with the thought of having to do such a task. Frowning, Alice finally nodded & Reaver smiled, leaning down to kiss her again.

Alice begrudgingly allowed him to plant his lips on hers, immediately regretting her decision. There was no way that any of his guests would have made her feel like this. Relentlessly, Reaver attacked her mouth, starting gently & building pressure until he found the perfect way to make Alice's knees weaken. Her soft whimper was his sign that he was doing his job well & Reaver continued, somehow prying her legs apart & then moving his body between them. Slowly but surely, he released her hands next & brought them to her thighs, rubbing her bare skin until he knew her petticoats were pulled up to her waist. Alice whimpered again & he let out a soft chuckle, pulling her against him by the waist. He continued to lightly tease her with his kisses, trailing from her mouth to her neck & cheeks occasionally. The poor, dizzy Alice clung to Reaver weakly as he eventually broke the kiss, hearing a soft knock at the door. The mere sound of him cocking his gun made the knocking stop & Reaver was able to enjoy a few more silent moments with Alice as he watched her recover.

Her lips were swollen from his hard kisses & her perfect eyes were a bit misty. He wished he hadn't killed Barnum the annoying photo man all those years ago, because the face on his fiery guest was too much to take. She could _never_ be able to live down the honesty there right now. Did she not know what her eyes were telling him right now, what the quivering of her body against his made him want to do to her? Probably not, he mused to himself as he slid off of the bed, helping Alice to her feet. He considered teasing her for her obviously rattled state, but that would only remove the feeling in the air between them, the delicious sexual tension, & the undeniable proof that Alice wanted Reaver as badly as he wanted her. Oh no, he wanted Alice's perverted thoughts to stay trapped in her little virgin mind; something like a switch for him to flip later.

"I will see you in a few hours, Alice," Reaver promised, kissing the still stunned girl's forehead before he released her arms before her & took his leave, "Tatty-bye for now, my pet!" One more kiss & a playful slap on Alice's rump was the departure Reaver chose to use before he left to seek much needed release from one of the maids & a bath. The tailor came in after Reaver exited in all his smug glory, & Alice's legs gave away until she sat on the floor next to Reaver's bed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alice could swear she saw something in the corner as the tailor helped her to her feet, but when she looked, all she saw was… shadows. A chill ran down her spine, & Alice then hurried to the fireplace, which provided more light into the room as the tailor measured her for her new dress. Would she ever stop seeing that monster everywhere? & why was it only there when Reaver wasn't?

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Ohhohoooo.~_


	6. Kiss Me, Kill Me

Alice still hadn't stopped beating herself up when she was finally squeezed & sewn into her dress for the evening. She felt like such a harlot for giving in to Reaver's kiss, & kept vowing to herself never do it again. But then, it wasn't fair that he had such power & grace over women... & men. From what she could tell, he'd been spending his life learning to please lovers. The business tycoon didn't have much to do with his free time, being that he didn't quell an angry riot at the factories EVERY day.

The opinion of Reaver differentiated between each servant Alice came in contact with. Some thought he was a god, some feared him, & others really, really feared him. & then there were some (like this really weird girl, Benjamina) that were totally nuts & obsessed with Reaver down to the last perfect lock of hair on his handsome head. Alice was of course asked by a servant how she liked Reaver herself, & Alice feverishly replied with "he fucking needs to die, & I will throttle that man next time I see him. I swear it!"

Reaver was taking his bath when the servant reported what she said, & almost choked on his wine in pure amusement, drinking down the rest & tossing it away carelessly. A maid caught it before it shattered on the floor, & good thing. Reaver was not so kind to those who made mistakes. He then set about dressing, his physical appearance already constantly groomed for such parties. Poor Alice had to spend most of the day being dressed experimentally by one of the best tailors in Reaver's employ, taught how to properly carry herself in public, & pretty much suffer the pain of being a dress up doll.

However, when the guests began to arrive, Alice was finally ready to be paraded around on Reaver's arm. He was rather pleased when her instructor & tailor told him that Alice was a quick learner, & though she had "deformed" herself with a piercing on her nose & put rather large holes in her ears, some maids were able to make last minute plug earrings for her with simple but pretty golden flowers decorating the front of them. She absolutely fought them on pulling out her nose piercing, so they eventually gave up. Reaver kept his gun in his holster at the mention of this, having found earlier that it was adorable on her. It made her exotic, even though Reaver didn't understand himself why the girl would pierce anything besides her precious ears.

Finally, Reaver eventually lost his patience in seeing the transformed girl & went to his room to retrieve her. The party was starting to gather more guests, & while in full swing, Reaver would come out with his new pet. Word of Alice had already travelled through guests & servants alike, Reaver purposefully starting some himself. He could only imagine her mortification if she heard only half of the steamy rumors that were in circulation. Arriving to his bedroom door, Reaver opened it quietly & looked around, smiling at her sleeping on his bed. Poor thing must be exhausted. He closed the door quietly & crossed the room to where she slept, his eyes raking over her hand-made gown & the body he knew was under it. Even pulled into a corset & extravagant crimson dress, her curves were unable to be hidden. Reaver's eyes filled with a predatory glint at this thought & slowly approached Alice's sleeping form, leaning over her & kissing all over her face gently until she opened her eyes, gracing him with their gorgeous colors again.

& then she punched him. Reaver backed away in mild shock, his hand on his cheek. Her hit hurt a bit more than he would have anticipated, & he hoped that it didn't bruise. For her sake. Reaver picked Alice up from the bed by her arms with an annoyed expression, not liking her endless rebellion. Didn't the girl ever give up?

"Why did you hit me, you silly girl?" Reaver said, his elegant eyebrows furrowed a bit angrily.

"Because you took advantage of me earlier!" Alice responded all too quickly. Reaver smiled & moved before her again, his hand reaching up to run down her cheek slowly.

"In my defense, Love, you gave me permission," Reaver smiled again, his hand suddenly slapping Alice's cheek. The force caused her to stagger back a bit, almost falling until Reaver took her into his arms & kissed her forehead. Alice's eyes welled up with tears, & he gently dabbed them away so her make-up wouldn't be ruined. Alice looked away from him with furious eyes & tried to shove him back, held prisoner against Reaver as he acted as if he felt nothing.

"I am not one that takes kindly to being hit, my love, especially on the face," Reaver chided Alice as he grabbed her chin & forced him to look at her again, "If you hit me, I will hit you back. If you hurt me in any way, I will do the same. It is only fair, is it not?" He looked at her cheek & was glad he restrained himself. It was a bit red, but it wouldn't bruise. What a sin it would be for him to mar her pretty face. Pulling off one of his gloves, Reaver gently rubbed her cheek until it cooled & the redness went away. Alice eventually calmed down a bit & Reaver moved to the bed with her, still soothing her cheek gently with his fingers.

"Does it still hurt, Dearest?"

"N-no," Alice replied softly, still unsure what to do next. Reaver acted like hitting a woman was just some normal thing everyone did. But he did have a point. Alice was much too violent to be the victim in this moment. After some time he tried to kiss her again & she turned away her face, making him pout. He didn't want to fight her for a kiss all over again.

"Alice, I know I seem to be unpleasant, but I am actually being incredibly tolerant with you," Reaver pacified her when he finally stood & adjusted his fine festivity clothes, "Why, If I weren't so magnanimous & benevolent , I believe that you would be riddled with bullets right now, dear flower."

"Maybe I'm better off like that," Alice replied with a dark scowl, crossing her arms before her, distracting Reaver momentarily when her breasts were lifted by them. Without hesitation, Reaver grabbed his Dragonstomper & stood before Alice, pressing the cool metal barrel to her forehead. The girl's eyes widened & she stayed perfectly still while he cocked the firearm.

"Be careful what you ask for, my pet," Reaver cautioned Alice with his trademark dashing grin. Alice looked away uncomfortably & Reaver pulled the Dragonstomper away, & just to get a rise out of her, shot the ceiling above Alice's head. The girl yelped & shielded her ears, making Reaver laugh & nearly double over in twisted glee.

"You bastard!" Alice shouted in anger. Without thinking, she punched Reaver again, this time on the arm. Immediately Alice paled & Reaver saw the wave of emotions on her face, giving it some consideration before he seized her arm & hauled her out of the room & towards the festivity. She had vicious impulses, did she? He would just have to resolve that issue right quick. Reaver swiftly dragged Alice into the large ballroom with their masquerade masks still in hand & the guard still announcing their arrival. People moved out of the way while Reaver dragged her to his seat on a slightly raised floor; the center of attention for the whole room. Before everyone, Reaver suddenly spun on his heel & kissed Alice hard, his mouth crashing down on hers with great force as he trapped her in his arms & claimed her before all of his guests. A few jealous spectators complained to each other about Alice hogging their host, but eventually the party progressed, Reaver still punishing Alice's lips with his own.

Before Alice could hold onto a coherent thought, his tongue quickly invaded her mouth & coaxed her to give in to him, to relax her body to his will. She couldn't fight his seduction. It was just impossible. Luckily for her, Reaver finally conceded, & she slouched against him dizzily. Reaver gave her a smile, dark and promising, & put his mask on. Begrudgingly he took Alice's to put hers onto her pretty face. It seemed like such a sin to cover her eyes, but at least her lips were still in the open for him to access. Reaver leaned down & pressed his lips on Alice's again more softly before he decided to excuse her abuse towards him.

"Since you have such a violent streak, I will have to discipline you with affection," Reaver purred, grabbing Alice's waist & hand without missing a beat of the music playing in the background. Alice clung to the hem of his dress coat, making him smile at her once more as he effortlessly brought them to the tempo of the music. Of course, Alice couldn't dance. With a short laugh at her stumbling & sad attempt to keep up, Reaver rested Alice's feet over his own & continued to glide across the dance floor with her pressed closer against him. It was all the incentive she needed to learn the steps faster & then push herself away to dance with her own two feet, no matter how clumsy they were. Reaver chuckled at her continued insistence to deny his advances & continued to gracefully guide her around. She also seemed particularly uneasy at every time they neared the people at his masquerade kissing & almost having orgies right in the room, a cluster of people here & there along the walls & within the corridors. Tonight would prove to be stimulating indeed.


	7. Stupid Barry & the Purple Tattoo

_Author's Note:_

_Don't forget to review, lovelies. I love to know how you feel about these chapters, & don't hesitate to message me if you think I could improve any scenes/dialogue.~_

* * *

Alice groaned weakly as she drank her fifth glass of the sweet wine Barry kept giving her. She was entirely too tipsy now, & it took all of her strength not to pass out. She should probably stop drinking now, but it was so good & so sweet. Alice had a weakness for sweet things. Once Barry coaxed that particular tidbit out of her, he brought her a special-made mousse, & eventually, Alice agreed to a drink that Barry tasted a bit of & assured her that is was indeed, diabetic-inducing. After her second glass of the alcohol, Alice didn't give a fuck about anything anymore. Now she knew why her dad was a drunk before he ran off. It must have been the only way he could handle his wife cheating on his with boys half of their age for the & years they were married. Currently, Barry was topping off her glass with the last of the wine, hurrying off with a promise that he would fetch more.

People were still talking to her enthusiastically after hours of already doing so, asking her questions about her eyes, nose piercing, & her connection to Reaver. Oh goodness, some of the rumors she had to quell were scandalous at best. She was able to dodge most of their nosiness with a few of the inquiries, but more & more people got in her face. They didn't even seem to notice that she was ignoring them now. How dumb could people be? All she knew is that she wanted to punch something. To be more specific, she wanted to punch Reaver. Damn the consequences.

Finally tired of being left to his guests, Alice got up in the middle of a young woman's "enthralling" story of her first blowjob experience & walked without the grace she was taught to have earlier & searched for Reaver. The pervert was indulging himself in the company of three very beautiful, very blond triplets that reminded her of the skanks that hung on a man named Gaston on a cartoon called Beauty & the Beast. & Reaver was just the beast to handle them all.

"I knew ya were an i-insufferable perv," Alice hiccupped as she crossed her arms, some of her wine spilling onto the marble floor, "I guess forcin' kisses on me ain't nuff fo' ya'." Reaver looked up from the ladies fawning over him, quirking an elegant eyebrow at his honored guest. She was clearly inebriated. Her eyes swam a bit, her face was bright red around the cheeks, & purple vines temporarily tattooed onto her neck. Wait; purple vines? Reaver felt a harsh dread run through him & gave the triplets little time to get off of him before he jerked out of his chair & grabbed Alice's arm. Gently, he pulled down the low neckline of her dress & tilted her head to the side to get a better look at her while the shunned girls hanging on him a less than a minute ago complained & struggled not to spill their drinks. After tracing on of the longer purple vines, Reaver clicked his tongue in mild irritation & snatched her now almost empty glass & smashed it onto the ground. A few of his guests laughed, drunk off of their merry asses, & then watched as Reaver helped Alice hook her arm into his & led her away. She stumbled against him as he held her against him, leading her out of the ballroom. In the halls, he ordered a maid to send him whoever was giving Alice her drinks tonight. The maid quickly bowed in admission & left towards the kitchen first.

**…_..._...**

When they reached Reaver's bedroom, far in the part of the mansion closed off to guests, Alice began to feel warmer, weird, & light-headed. & then, she felt a need; a burning, deep, uncontrollable need that consumed her almost completely. For a moment her conscience yelled not to give in to her baser instincts, but in the end, Alice's instincts took over. It was all Reaver could do not to jump out of his skin when she tackled him as he moved to close the door, her lips crashing against his with passionate vigor. She clung to Reaver feverishly, & he kissed her back before he tore himself from her lips, Alice griping onto the front of his dress shirt as he picked her up & carried her bridal style to his pleasure room. Before Alice could blink, she was tossed into the large cage. Her purple tattoo spread as she reached for him, letting out an angry cry after Reaver rushed out of the room despite his desire to stay.

Damn, he was hard. A maid walked by the room & Reaver grit his teeth, jerking her into his bedroom.

"Bed. Now." Reaver ordered her harshly after giving her a brutal nip on her lower lip. The maid looked at Reaver fearfully, but all too eagerly pulled down her pantaloons & lay on his bed. Reaver quickly opened his breaches & slammed into her, tearing a cry of pain & pleasure from the maid as he entered her dry. Deaf to her cries, Reaver began to drive into her, growling like a wild balverine when he imagined Alice in her place, that fiery, unpredictable girl. Within a few minutes he finally satiated himself, drawing out of the trembling girl.

"I d-didn't cum!" she complained with a scowl. Reaver simply gave her a rueful smile & pulled out the Dragon Stomper 48, shooting her between the eyes without effort. She died instantly, & Reaver rolled his eyes when he realized the mess that she created in his bed. Stupid, messy maid.

**…_..._...**

"Master, you called?" Barry asked, quite nervous, even though he didn't know what he did. Reaver buried his anger under his usual smile & turned to Barry.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" Reaver inquired his butler with a calm demeanor. Barry looked around a bit nervously & shrugged. Of course the dolt didn't know what he did. Walking to his coat rack, Reaver grabbed his cane & used it to push Barry to the pleasure chamber. Barry immediately began to stutter with his face turning red as the two saw Alice in the cage, throwing her remaining shoe out of the cage, her ripped stockings following soon after. When she let out a rather tortured moan & slammed her back into the cage & began to pull her dress open, the buttons along the back scattering everywhere, Reaver looked down to see Barry completely enraptured & drooling like the senseless dog he was. Using his cane once more, Reaver rapped it over Barry's head & beckoned the dirty old man out of the pleasure room, ending the peep show. Reaver closed the bookshelf door once they were back in his bedroom & made his way to the desk chair a few steps away.

"You have been giving her a very, very strong aphrodisiac all evening, my dear friend," Reaver announced, still smiling away as he advanced on the stuttering old man, "Not only is it a very expensive product from my excursion in Samarkand, but Miss Alice has consumed far more than the required dose. Why, if she were to die due to the extreme stress on her body, it'd be entirely your fault." Barry paled, & Reaver pulled out his gun, aiming with a cruel smile.

& then he put it back. Barry looked up at Reaver confusedly, wondering why he was just spared. His master was not a kind one, which the departed maid on his bed had learned the hard way. Reaver turned from Barry & looked outside at most of the guests leaving. Smiling, Page waiting outside his manor, just as his spies in her underground rebel group had reported. She thought she could hide her appearance with that mask & costume, but Page was far too exotic not to stand out. She must have shown up to save her poor comrade Reaver had been interrogating for the past few weeks.

"Barry, I do believe that the resistance is finally here to be beat down," Reaver murmured with a thoughtful regard, "Do go & show them to our… special ballroom." Barry nodded & left the room hurriedly before Reaver changed his mind on sparing his life. Reaver began walking behind him before looking around & ushering one of his male servants to him.

"Congrats, my good man, you are my new butler," Reaver said with a jovial smile, "You will receive a key to every room tomorrow, but for now, your mission is to go into the hidden room over there & watch over the girl inside. Keep her hydrated & do NOT touch her for any reason. Understand?" The young man nodded & quickly went to the bookcase, running inside & closing the door behind him. Reaver smiled & then headed to invite Page & any other "guests" she was bringing over tonight. He had bait, had the means of having fun, & surely had a way to get rid of that incompetent Barry without wasting his precious bullets.


	8. Play Time

_Author's Note:_

_Just letting you guys know that this chapter takes place right after the showdown at Reaver's Mansion in Fable 2. If you played the game, know about the sweet revenge that Reaver just took on Barry. xD For all of you that haven't, let's just leave it at Barry's dead, & you need to buy the game to find out what happened._

* * *

Reaver let out a soft tsk when he reached his bedroom, carelessly draping his coat over the back of a large chair, his hat & mask lain on a bedside table. For the moment, he really didn't know if he wanted to go check on Alice. He knew that the aphrodisiac was supposed to bring out the more uninhibited side of people, but Alice was completely out of control earlier The last thing he wanted was to take her innocence in that state. No, when he finally conquered Alice, she would be fully sober & conscious of her actions. But, even so… it wouldn't hurt to go check on her.

At the very moment that Reaver decided to go see how Alice was doing, a loud clash was heard from his pleasure chamber. Interest piqued, Reaver went to the bookshelf that opened & headed to the pleasure chamber, Dragonstomper in hand. Was Alice trying to break her cage? Was someone trying to pillage his mansion? An amused grin curled the edges of Reaver's mouth when he saw what was actually going on when he reached the room & stood back a bit to see his new head butler ducking as a glass flew over his head, crashing into a wall behind him. Alice glared at the frightened young man & then laid back down, turning away from him on her side. She muttered something along the lines of "too weak" & ignored the young man promptly.

"M-miss Alice, I n-never meant to hurt your feelings," the boy groveled as he got closer to her cautiously, "I-it'll never h-happen again! P-please d-don't tell M-master Reaver!"

"Tell me what, dear boy?"

The young man jumped away from Alice's cage & looked at Reaver in fear, watching the master of the mansion walk into the room, approaching the cage. Alice sensed someone else in the room & sat up. Reaver could have cried when he saw what the magical aphrodisiac had done to her beautiful eyes. The purple vine tattoos spread down her body into the corset still on her body & just under the ripped remains of her petticoat & panties. It had also spread to her face, & even to her eyes. The only part of her eyes that wasn't purple was her pupils. As Reaver watched Alice thoughtfully, she crawled closer & reached out, clinging to the front of his shirt. Reaver smiled, & saw the need in her eyes again, the longing. Slowly he leaned in & kissed her, almost forgetting the young man in his room until he got up & tried to run. Without even looking, Reaver pointed his gun & shot the boy in the leg. He screamed, causing Alice to jump & then look at him with curiosity as he clutched his leg & whimpered rather pathetically.

"Too weak," Alice murmured again softly, & Reaver was both impressed in Alice & disappointed in his would-be butler. He expected Alice to be more frightened of his skills with a gun, but she clung to him all the same. The boy was cowering with obvious guilt in his eyes, meaning that he broke the one rule Reaver left him with & he tried to touch Alice.

"You touched her, didn't you?" Reaver said without sparing the boy so much as a glance while Alice fawned over him, doing as much as she physically could to bring Reaver closer to her.

"I d-didn't mean to," the boy pleaded softly, "It was just that you were gone so long &…"

"I distinctly remember telling you not to touch her."

"B-but she's so pretty &-"

"Did you think that I hadn't noticed?" Reaver asked, suddenly cocking his gun, "I warned you, Boy." Without a blink, Reaver pulled the trigger, landing a bullet between the boy's eyes with perfect precision, just as he had done with that annoying maid earlier. Alice leaned in & gently kissed Reaver's neck now that he was done with the pest that tried to take advantage of Reaver's absence. Reaver gave her an impish smile & lightly pried himself from Alice, before putting his gun back into its holster.

"I am fetching someone to clean this mess, Alice," Reaver said as he sat her on the bed of his pleasure chamber. "Be a good girl & wait here for me." Alice frowned & clung to Reaver tighter through the bars. With a thoughtful grin, he unlocked the cage instead, where Alice lunged herself into his waiting arms. Helping the girl out before dealing with the eyesore dead in the doorway seemed much more appealing. Wordlessly, Reaver kicked his body out of the room & shut the door before he deposited Alice onto the bed at the center of the room. Alice looked up at Reaver wantonly as he pulled off his dress shirt, ripping off a long sleeve before he playfully tackled Alice & tied her hands around one of the bedposts while she was pinned on her stomach. Alice whimpered & tried to free her hands as Reaver slowly untied her corset & tossed it away. He gently kissed along her neck & shoulder next, his hands slowly gliding up her thighs & to her panties before he leaned in & kissed her.

"I will not bed you tonight, Alice," Reaver said matter-of-factly into her neck, "I know you don't like that, but I'm sure you'd hate me tomorrow if I acted on impulse. & the last thing I want is to finally claim you & then have to work my way up all over again." Alice looked at Reaver in shock as he spoke in a calm, honest tone. At least he wasn't spouting anything about "love" & "wanting to be a gentleman". But still, she wanted it so bad. Reaver could see the unrelenting need in Alice's eyes & chuckled lightly, his hand finally pushing into her panties & teasing the sensitive spot between her legs. Alice whimpered in shock & pleasure, the lovely sound smothered by Reaver's lips while he expertly rubbed & prodded the entrance to her womanhood.

"More," Alice sighed softly after some time, pulling harder on the restraints around her hands. With a growl of pleasure, Reaver parted her folds & slipped his fingers into her. He then began to tease her insides, his mouth curling into a wicked smirk when he felt her maiden barrier. So, she really was a virgin. Delicious.

"R-reaver," Alice moaned within a few minutes, catching his attention. The sound of her voice calling his name was divine, & despite his better judgment, Reaver let out a guttural growl into Alice's shoulder as his groin rubbed hard onto her round bottom. Alice moaned again, arching her hips back blindly.

Whimpering, Alice eventually surprised Reaver with a soft "S-stop…" The man leaned back a bit & regarded her thoughtfully, seeing the purple vines finally receding from her wonderful eyes, & then her face. He moved to pull away, knowing she was returning to her old self, but Alice bit her lower lip, pleasantly surprising Reaver when her hips ground back into his suddenly.

"P-please… don't stop," she begged into his neck breathlessly. Reaver smirked & pressed himself back down onto her without question, feeling her arch back, moaning & clinging to her restraints until her hands turned pale white.

"I never pegged you as the subservient type in bed, my pet," Reaver purred naughtily as he began to stimulate her sheath again, making her writhe & moan under him helplessly, "You just keep surprising me more & more…" He moved his fingers faster as Alice began to tremble, groaning into her neck & grinding his hard length against her bottom again as she finally orgasmed for the first time in her life. Reaver held Alice close as she began to relax & then pulled his hand from her womanhood, licking his fingers clean.

Alice blushed darkly at the sight of it, a bit reluctant to let him kiss her after. Immediately, Reaver shoved his tongue into her mouth, eager to give her a taste of herself while he untied her hands & pulled her back against him. Alice tried to pull herself away as Reaver continued to toy with her skin, his mouth moving from hers eventually & to her neck. He bit into her soft flesh & she winced, unable to take anymore.

"N-no more…" she begged in a soft, pleading voice, "Please…." Reaver opened his eyes, knowing that he had to. With Alice still in the middle of her own will & the aphrodisiac, he needed to play it safe & not continue. When she finally gave into him, there would be no "stop" or "no more" or any else of that nonsense she kept spouting in between her moans & honest reactions. With a belligerent sigh, Reaver released Alice & grabbed the same nightgown he gave her last night. Alice only removed her hands from her breasts long enough to take it & then put it on. Reaver watched her with lewd eyes, drinking in her gorgeous body until he could take no more & pulled it down for her. Alice blushed darkly & tried to move away, but Reaver grabbed her arms & held her completely still.

"Why are you so obsessed with sex?" Alice asked him angrily.

"Why are you so ashamed of it?" Reaver countered, his eyes glistening, savoring the challenge this question always brought up, "You prudes always think tha-"

"My mother has always used sex as her leverage over me," Alice hissed, stopping Reaver's self-righteous speech, "Why should I try to enjoy an activity that has brought me suffering ever since I've discovered men?" Bloody hell, the girl was right. Reaver looked at Alice as she tossed herself back down on the bed, curling up. But he couldn't give up, not when he'd already gotten to the level of kissing & petting.

"On the bright side, your mother isn't here to muddle things now," Reaver said as he forcefully grabbed Alice's waist & dragged her against him. He still wanted her, so badly, & it took his full restraint not to continue on. He looked down at Alice, who seemed to be mulling the thought over before she finally scowled & looked up at him.

"You're just saying this because you want to fuck me," she accused him, sitting up & crossing her arms. Reaver chuckled & leaned in, dark, promising, lustful intent in his eyes. A shiver ran down her back & he took note. She was starting to give into his will; it pleased him greatly to know this.

"I would prefer to call it _playing_ or _making love_," he responded, "But yes, I would love it if you would agree to it for me. The chase you give is exhilarating, but I can only handle so much."

"Reaver, you don't even know what the hell love is,"Alice responded curtly before she rolled her eyes & laid back down. Reaver immediately wrapped her in his arms, laying claim to her, just like last night. He didn't respond to the girl's snide remark, mostly because he knew it was true.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Don't get too comfy with this lovey-dovey crap, you swooning losers! It's about to go DOWN! Just warning all of you. :I_


	9. The Poor Butler

After weeks & weeks of avoiding a certain issue, Reaver tried not to make eye contact with Alice. He looked over his monthly expenses & profits, giving his barely-used study some much needed attention. He didn't need to look at the fiery hell cat to know what she was doing.

For the past hour, she'd done a pretty well for herself, staring him down angrily with her arms crossed in a chair across the room. She was also doing an exceptional job of making his new butler James her bitch. She gave him horribly menial tasks, ordering him to fetch tea three or four times until it had the perfect amount of sugar, then making him fetch a substantial amount of sugary desserts, &, just to rub salt into Reaver's sliced & minced ego, Alice forced James to nag his boss every now & then to check on his progress. Finally, Reaver couldn't take anymore & pulled out his trusty Dragonstomper, poor James now staring into the barrel of the menacing firearm.

"I would very much appreciate it if you were a good girl & left me to my work, dear Alice," Reaver announced, still looking over his work as James backed away slowly & then ran out of the room. He heard Alice release an irritated sigh before he finally gave up, putting away the gun & moving away from his desk. Everything checked out the first two rounds anyway. Reaver walked his way to Alice with a stare that would absolutely terrify most people. She stared him down anyway, James appearing just in time to take her tea cup & whisk it away to the kitchen; just like a trained dog.

"I know you have a slight aversion to his name-" Reaver stated, only to be cut short by an angry glare from Alice, "Very well, Love, you have a rather strong _loathing_ to his name. But still, you're being entirely unfair to him." Alice got out of her chair -purposefully avoiding his help- & completely walked around him to leave the study. Reaver kept himself from reaching for the Dragonstomper again with all of his might & followed her to the dining room, where the maids were setting a place for the two, Reaver's place at the end, & her's right to the left of him.

"You know, if he weren't my only contact all day, I might be nicer to him," Alice huffed as Reaver placed his hands on her back & guided her to their seats. He didn't comment on her single-sentence rant, just merely sat in his chair & opened the wine for their evening meal. It was pretty weak stuff, but he hadn't been able to openly pursue sex with Alice in his home for the past few weeks. Not because it would hurt her, but because she would probably run off into the night if he didn't spend it with her, cuddling her into submission & holding her against him. & until he finally broke down her insistent pride & bedded her, there was no way he'd let her run away.

"My pet; dearest, sweet Alice, why are you so persistent on fleeing my humble home?" he asked her with a melodramatic sigh. Alice rolled her eyes & began to eat her meal. Of course, he was going to make this as difficult for her as possible.

"It would be nice if you were serious for a few minutes," she growled before she took a vicious bite out of the glazed duck on her plate. Reaver smirked & before Alice could blink, Reaver was in her face, his hands on the armrests of her chair to effectively trap her there. All Alice could think about was his amazing speed. What other deadly tricks did he have up his sleeves?

"My dear," Reaver purred softly as his own chair fell on its back, making Alice jump, "You should understand by now that I am _always_ serious. Always."

"Reaver… I had fun exploring your home at first, but now I've met all your staff, the new ones you've _yet_ to kill, & found every one of your secret passages," Alice explained once more as she forced herself not to cower, "I can't take any more of this insane repetition." Reaver leaned over Alice & regarded her perceptively, as if searching her eyes for any lies she may have told. Then, against his better judgment, he picked up his seat & decided to concede to Alice's wish... in his own way, of course.

"Very well, my pet," he said as he sat down & grabbed his utensils to eat, "However! I will escort you to town, you will stay at my side for the entire duration, & you are obligatory to grant me a single request before I agree to take you to town."

"I'm not going to have sex with you," Alice replied curtly. Reaver smiled immediately & shook his head. He reached across the table & gently grabbed her hand, placing a soft kiss on it. Alice blushed immediately, wincing lightly when his teeth gently nipped the knuckles.

"I would never ask you to do such a thoughtless thing, Sweetheart."

"Then what is it, _Sweetheart_?"

"A big secret. You'll have to wait until later."

Alice scowled at Reaver & his damn secrets. The bastard. But for now, she really didn't seem to have a choice but to indulge her host & his antics. Picking up her fork, she began to eat & tried not to laugh when Reaver began to eat in the most Barbaric of manners. He had an exquisite home, high-society friends, & such refined vocabulary. But still, he ate like a pig, just like every other man in the world. Alice secretly took comfort in this as she started to eat again.

"I'm still not having sex with you tonight," the girl muttered under her breath, not noticing Reaver's signals to a maid to go fetch Alice a sweet dessert. At least he was learning _something_ about her in all of his attempts to woo her.


	10. Lingerie & Blindfolds

Reaver smirked as he peeked in on Alice getting out of her bath. From the cracked door, he could make out her lovely curves, dripping with warm water as she grabbed her towel & wrapped in it. Reaver took this moment to burst in, drinking in the dark blush that stained her cheeks.

"Reaver, get the hell out!" she yelled at him angrily. Unluckily for her, Reaver had no intention of doing anything remotely similar to that. With one large swoop of his arms, Reaver picked Alice up & tossed her over his shoulder, holding her in place while she kicked & screamed at him to put her down. A few servants gawked at the two as they passed, but this Reaver would piss off Alice like this two, maybe three times a week just for kicks.

Once in the bedroom, Reaver tossed her onto the bed & locked the bedroom door, his eyes filled with lustful intent. Alice blushed darker & tried to crawl back onto the bed, only to have her ankle captured by Reaver's strong hand. He dragged her back to him until her legs draped over the edge of the bed & he leaned over her, planting a kiss on her soft lips. Alice could barely fight him off, keeping a steel grip on her towel; it was her only defense against Reaver's lecherous hands right now.

After Reaver was certain that Alice was close to dizziness, he finally released her & stood, heading over to the nearby dresser where he pulled out three lingerie sets, based off of her own underwear, & tossed them on the bed. Alice blushed darkly & picked up one of the panties. She'd only seen underwear this detailed on Victoria's Secret fashion shows.

"For you to convince me to take you out on an excursion, you must put this on & model it for me," Reaver explained with dark, lustful eyes, "I must say, the tailor did a decent job with choices. The cotton red set utilizes my favorite color, the violet is a rather racy number made of silk, & the pink has been filled with a pleasing amount of ruffles & bows." Alice looked through the suits, wondering how she'd sunk so low to become an underwear model for a notorious pervert. What had she done to incur karma's wrath? But Alice forced herself to pick anyway, knowing that Reaver had already peeked on her & seen her nude. Wouldn't being in underwear make things easier for her in the end? Taking a deep breath, Alice chose the red set, a virtually simple set of bra & panties, still decked out with a substantial amount of lace to please Reaver's appreciation of the feminine body. She would have been more surprised if the garments _weren't_ over the top.

With-holding a sigh, Alice went behind the changing partition in Reaver's bedroom, finishing with the task of drying herself off before she put on the lingerie. What the hell was she thinking earlier? This was twenty billion times more humiliating than being totally naked!

"Y-you know," Alice mumbled, "I can just stay in here forever…" She heard Reaver chuckle from his bed, his cane rapping onto the floor gently a few times.

"Just come out & show me your delicious body, my sweet," Reaver responded, secretly trying to peek around the partition as he spoke. He couldn't wait to see his dear Alice in her new undergarments. Meanwhile, Alice scowled & blushed darkly before she peeked out at Reaver.

"Y-you can't m-make me, damn it!" she hissed at him… Uh-oh. Wrong response. Reaver smirked & propped his cane next to the coat rack before striding over to Alice. When she hid behind the partition again he brazenly followed, grabbing her arm & dragging her to the bed, where he picked her up & deposited her in the center of it. She looked so delicious; he could just eat her up. The undergarments fit her perfectly, thanks to the combined efforts of his perverted nature & the tailor's talent. As an added bonus, her damp hair laid disheveled over her upper body, causing him to take in a sharp breath & then lean down to kiss her.

Alice surprisingly didn't fight Reaver at all, doing quite the contrary & arching up against him lightly. Reaver held himself back with all of his might until the kiss broke & he slowly released her from his warm embrace. He wasn't done with her & the lingerie yet.

"Model your adorable clothing for Reaver, my dear," he purred as he got off of her. Alice blushed darker & tried to get over her nervousness before Reaver lost his patience. Slowly but surely, she stood on her knees & put her hands behind her head to show Reaver an attractive pose she'd seen on the front of many magazines. Why mess with the classics? Reaver smiled, enjoying himself as for the next half hour or so, he directed Alice to take on several poses, some way more lewd than Alice could bear. After some time Reaver decided the tightening in his pants could no long be ignored & beckoned Alice closer with a grin & crooked his finger at her in a come-hither motion. Alice blushed darkly & moved closer despite her conscience screaming she knew what he wanted from her now. She moved to scoot closer but he smiled & shook his head.

"No, my dear," he chided her gently, "Crawl." Alice's eyes widened in shock as Reaver regarded her in what looked like mild anticipation, his tongue sliding across his lips invitingly.

"I c-can't do such a thing," she murmured indignantly. Reaver only deepened his smirk, eyes now black instead of brown, exuding lust & dark promise.

"Please dear, indulge me just this one time…."

Alice bit her lower lip, making sure that she didn't trip over her long, raven hair as she finally began to crawl to him. He knew he could drag her down to that level; it just took a bit of time & patience. Reaver's eyes raked over Alice's entire body as she came closer.

She approached him slowly, her lithe, feminine body moving like a panther on prowl. Coupled with the innocent sparkle in her eyes, Reaver found himself struggling with his deepest animal instincts, a low growl of lust escaping his mouth. Alice tensed up as she finally reached him, seeing the unmistakable, animalistic hunger in his eyes. Before Alice could try to move away, Reaver shoved her onto her back, using his weight to pin her down.

"R-reaver, wait…" Alice whimpered reflexively as the man above her wrapped his arms under her, effectively pinning her still as his mouth nibbled & kissed on her neck.

"So beautiful…"

"Reaver…."

"& so naive"

"Reaver!"

As if he woke from a dream, Reaver ceased his actions & looked up at Alice with his eyes still burning with need. Maybe she wouldn't be able to wiggle out of this situation so easily. But she had to try. Biting her lower lip, Alice eventually got Reaver to loosen his hold on her & gently rolled her body onto his, eliciting a soft groan from him as her weight rested on him now, her soft breasts on his chest, her arms around his neck, & her wet core pressed down on his hard cock. She could feel the sexual tension between them as she leaned down & kissed him, slowly opening his pants until Reaver broke the kiss & gave her a rather inquisitive look.

"I-I'm not good at it, but I think I can help… relieve you," Alice explained with the darkest of blushes staining her cheeks. Reaver nodded, his conscience not at all tickled about making a girl trade her virginity for a much-needed round of fellatio. But before Reaver would allow his precious vixen do that, he was going to get comfortable.

"Just a moment, Lover," Reaver cautioned as he pulled Alice's curious hands from the waist band of his pants. He kissed her cheek & then climbed to the edge of bed, pulling off his boots & stockings. Alice looked away when he pulled off his pants & Reaver took note before using his deft hands to unclothe himself, from the cravat at his neck, to his underpants. His thick shaft already stood tall and ready, reaching his navel. At the top of the bed, his Dragonstomper lay just in case he needed to shoot anyone foolish enough to barge in on Alice & him.

With a smile, he decided he knew what to do about Alice's shyness & blew out most candles, just leaving the one next to his bed. He then untied one of the curtain holders of the canopy bed, gently wrapping it over Alice's eyes. She relaxed quite a bit when Reaver did so, allowing Reaver to pull her towards the pillows at the top of the bed. Reaver piled some pillows so he could sit up & then rested back against them, feeling like the king of the world at this moment.

"Are you ready now?" Reaver asked Alice in his most tender of voices. Alice nodded & he took her hands in his, guiding them down to his hard cock. Alice gasped lightly when her hands made contact with it. Reaver smirked at her innocence & cupped her face with his hands, leaning in & kissing her deeply. Alice relaxed again, & slowly her hands began to explore his hard rod. She first felt around for places that pleased Reaver, & he was all too happy to growl & moan against her lips when she did something he liked. But eventually, Alice's hands did little more than make Reaver's arousal painful, & he broke their passionate kisses to urge her to continue on.

"Alice dear, I need that delectable mouth of yours now," Reaver purred. One of his hands gently moved behind her head & he pushed down, guiding her mouth down to his cock. At first she turned her face away, & Reaver patiently ran his fingers through her long hair.

"Don't be shy, my flower," Reaver groaned, desperation lacing his voice. Slowly, he wrapped her hair around his fingers & guided her lips to the head of his cock where she slowly opened her mouth & allowed his length to slide in. She was glad for the blindfold over her eyes as Reaver gently smoothed her hair & massaged the back of her neck. She knew he had to be looking down at her, & could only guess what facial expressions he made.

Reaver stared down at the clever vixen as she sucked & licked on his cock, slowly finding a rhythm that pleased him most. He let out growls & hisses of pleasure, watching her with interest as her mouth played along his cock. Alice was far from the best blowjob he'd had, but he had to hand it to her, she was persistent. The next time she decided to pleasure him, he would start to give tips, & eventually she _would_ become the best. With a harsh groan, Reaver felt his climax coming & suddenly pulled out of Alice's mouth, dragging her back up so he could kiss her, his climax exploding from his thick rod. His juices sprayed on their stomachs, & Reaver held Alice against him tightly until he finished.

"Now, it's your turn," Reaver murmured, finally ripping off her blindfold. Alice's beautiful eyes opened & she pulled back, looking at him confusedly.

"My turn…?"

"Yes."

Without another word, Reaver shoved Alice onto her back & cleaned up her stomach with her makeshift blindfold. He then began to kiss down Alice's body without warning, pulling her panties off slowly with his teeth. With luck, tonight would end with him being a step closer to officially bedding her.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Would you believe that I decided to do the fellatio scene because in all of the Reaver fanfics I've ever read, there has never been one fellatio scene involved? Like seriously, you guys. He's a sex-addict. Fellatio is totally gonna happen. O_O_


	11. Tension

"You're quite the peculiar one," Raver sighed as he tried to gain Alice's attention with his cane, prodding her with the end of it. She quickly swatted it away, still refusing to look in the business tycoon's direction. With mischief in his eyes, Reaver scooted closer to Alice in the confines of their carriage buggy. Alice glared at Reaver & backed away until her back pressed against a side wall. She was cornered.

"Was last night really too much?" Reaver purred as he rested his forehead on Alice's, their lips just a mere millimeter apart. She could feel his breath on her lips as she struggled not to faint. Corset plus Alice plus Reaver hella close? That equals zero breath. Alice couldn't take it. With a hard shove, she distanced herself from Reaver. It would be so easy to ignore her weak hands, but Reaver conceded & basked in his handiwork as Alice covered her face with her ands & let out a groan of irritation. She looked so cute like that, face all red & out of breath.

"Reaver, you are absolutely impossible," Alice hissed with her voice lightly muffled by her hands. Reaver shrugged his shoulders & sat back lazily on his side of the velvet bench… well, if you could call a slightly slouched back lazy. Reaching out, Reaver ran his fingers through a few stray strands of Alice's hair. The usually unruly mop had been brushed & tamed & swept into a loose bun, showing off Alice's slender neck. As so did her newest dress, of course. The design screamed of Reaver, from the deep red color to loose sleeves that hung around her shoulders. If she hadn't threatened to burn his lovely creation, Reaver would have ordered the tailor to cut the dress just above her knees.

"Mastah Reavah… we're in Bowahsone now," the driver of Reaver's carriage announced after some time, & Reaver's lips curled into a smile when Alice perked up. Casually sliding his grip to the bottom of his cane, Reaver tapped the roof of the carriage twice.

"Do be a sport & take us to the Market first," Reaver told the man. The man responded with a suck up/affirmation & the carriage continued on. About 20 minutes later, the carriage finally came to a halt & Reaver got out, lifting Alice by her waist as if she were a mere cat & placing her on the ground before him. A few people stared or gossiped among each other, & it was all Reaver could do not to force a scandalous act upon Alice to give them something to _really_ talk about.

But as luck would have it, Alice had already ventured off, looking around her surroundings in awe. Reaver found her excitement adorable, & casually followed her as she took in the sights & sounds of Bowerstone Market. First, he took her to a fruit stand & bought her a fresh golden apple. She nibbled on it & they looked at other places, Alice constantly telling Reaver not to buy things for her. He conceded to her wishes every time… that is, until he caught her harping over a certain brooch.

Alice spotted it when they passed by a gift shop & went to check it out while Reaver flirted with the triplets from his party a while back. They apparently missed him since he wasn't accepting bed mates at the moment, so much in fact that they all gave him a long, deep kiss when they parted. Reaver took a moment to calm his raging arousal before turning to see Alice holding the brooch.

It was a simple pewter trinket with a onyx center. Upon the onyx, a carved marble figure of a woman's head was fastened. Reaver didn't know why Alice liked the unimpressive piece of jewelry, but he wanted to get it for her. Quickly, he snatched the brooch out of Alice's hands & sauntered to the saleswoman. Alice frowned & sighed when he came back moments later with a smile on his face, as if he's just won an epic contest of sorts.

"Reaver, that costs five _thousand_ gold!" Alice scolded the man, her cheeks turning a bit red in her frustration. With a nonchalant shrug, Reaver stopped before Alice & unfastened the cloth flower at the center of her neckline. He dropped it to the floor & then pinned her new brooch in place. The whole time, most of his thoughts were on the generous amount of cleavage he could see at that angle.

"Dear Alice, you wanted it, so I bought it," Reaver rebuttled calmly, "& do not deny it, I know the look of want in a woman's eyes. Besides, a small trinket like this will certainly not destroy my funds." Alice bit her lower lip & kept herself from fighting Reaver further. He had a point. But still, she didn't like him buying her things. She was already living in his home for free.

While lost in her thoughts, Reaver looped his arm in hers & led her through town towards a large castle just outside the outskirts of Bowerstone Market. Alice looked up at it, her eyes widening at its sheer massiveness. Reaver meanwhile, smirked at her reaction & led her to the massive structure. Alice immediately dug her heels into the ground & tried to stop him from dragging her along.

"What are you doing, Reaver?" she squeaked as he continued walking despite Alice's feeble attempts to stop him, "That's a castle! People can't just walk into castles!" Reaver rolled his eyes & continued to walk on, pulling Alice closer with one arm & wrapping his arm around her waist with the other. The sound of their steps & his cane tapping the ground was the only thing Alice heard for about a mile until they reached the courtyard of Bowerstone Castle.

"You needn't worry, my pet," Reaver soothed Alice as they walked along, "I have direct contracts with the king of Albion. Recently, the entire régime was overturned, & a new king was crowned. It would be rude of me not to address my new business partner." Nobles in the area stared at Reaver's hand brazenly gripping her waist & gossiped, & a bit more viciously than the people in the market, it seemed. Reaver didn't seem to care at all & continued to advance upon the castle. Once inside, Reaver kissed her cheek & told her to wait in the main room. Without much choice, Alice accepted Reaver's order & went to sit at a chair near the main stairway.

Alice waited as patiently as she could, jumping a bit when she saw the king headed toward the same direction Reaver went a few minutes ago. It would be hard not to notice this man. He was dressed regally, carried himself regally; not to mention the give-away crown on his head. He smiled pleasantly to Alice & approached her. Alice stood & he grabbed her hand, kissing it gently. Alice blushed considerably.

"Hello, Miss…"

"Alice! Alice Crow, your majesty."

The king smiled once more & nodded, slowly releasing her hand.

"Please, call me Hero," he interjected gently. Alice gave him an inquisitive look, & he laughed softly in response.

"It's my actual name… I am afraid that my mother wasn't very big on subtlety," the king assured her. The two laughed, & Alice was so engrossed in her conversation to notice Reaver approaching slowly. He watched the two perceptively with a cat-like stare, unmoving & unblinking. Alice was enjoying herself, sure, but it was obvious the king was smitten with her. Reaver decided to quell this fire before it was lit – not that he felt threatened by the king's presence, of course.

"Oh Alice!" Reaver exclaimed, a smile on his face, but cruelty gleaming in his eyes, "You've found the king for me! You are such a dear." Without a single warning, Reaver stopped right next to Alice & swept an arm around her waist & kissed her deeply. Alice blushed darkly & shoved Reaver away, the king blushing himself. The air was thick with awkward feelings after Reaver's entrance. He was quite proud of the havoc he'd caused.

"Well, to what honor do I owe your visit, Reaver?" the king asked with a forced smile. Oh my, did Reaver hear a bit of edge in the young man's voice? It seemed the virtuous Hero had human urges after all.

"I only came to acquaint myself with my newest business partner," Reaver explained, "As head of Reaver Industry, I consider it an honor to work side by side with the king." The king kept a sarcastic remark as Reaver removed his hand from Alice's hip only to bow low.

Oh Reaver, such a wonderful bow!

The better to spit at your feet, my king.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Is this a rivalry I see in the horizon? Also, if anyone wants to know for sure what Alice's new pendant looks like, look up Victorian Cameo Brooch on Google or Amazon. It's a Silverish pendant with a black center & white carving on top._

_Lucky Alice. I've wanted one forever. _


	12. No Turning Back

"She can't be with him by choice," Hero murmured to himself that evening. Alice didn't really do anything to show that she hated being near Reaver when they met about a week ago, but something just seemed off with the two of them. Or maybe he was imagining things that just made Reaver seem guilty. With a sigh, Hero downed his glass of champagne & walked his way to bed, where he had to push his dog out of his way to fit in. Reaver was guilty somehow, & he knew it. But what exactly was the sex fiend planning with a sweet girl like Alice?

**..._..._...**

Reaver regarded Alice with calm eyes as he watched her across the room, twisting her long, raven hair into a beautiful braid. He was content just to watch her for the moment, taking in her pink lingerie under her usual white & sheer nightgown; even though they weren't red, he had to admit that this set of underwear were his favorite so far. Quietly, he allowed his eyes drift over her slight form, her body swaying ever so slightly when she stood & made her way to the bed. By Avo, he wanted her so badly.

This game of self-control he'd been playing was starting to slip; he & Alice both knew it. All the same, the young woman pulled herself onto the tall bed & felt Reaver hold himself against her almost immediately. Alice didn't question it or try to move away despite his forward actions & state of undress; it was their usual nightly ritual to fall asleep intertwined in each other. With his arm about her waist from behind & his face pressed into Alice's neck, Reaver soothed the girl against him to sleep, absent-mindedly running his hands down her form after she passed out against him.

& then he couldn't wait anymore.

Gently pushing Alice to her back, Reaver kissed her deeply despite her state of unconsciousness. She woke up quickly, however, & found herself shoving him back to fight for her breath. One look into Reaver's eyes, & Alice knew that he meant business. There was no escaping his desire anymore; he'd waited too long. Reaver spared no words as his hands scooped under her body & he hefted her up, quickly taking her to his pleasure chamber. Alice was quickly deposited at the center of the bed & Reaver took off his underpants before joining her, his eyes glittering fiercely in the very dim candle light.

"Alice, I have tried to be as patient with your inexperience, but I am afraid the jig is up," Reaver explained as his hands reached up greedily & rested on the frilly neckline of Alice's nightgown. Alice whimpered as he ripped apart the garment with ease & began to kiss & nibble on the long column of her neck. Immediately, Alice's conscience told her to fight Reaver at any cost, but her body refused to cooperate. She was just so tired of fighting for her virginity, so done with shielding her innocence from the world. Reaver was all too willing to show her what pleasure really was, & it was time she took up his offer.

With a shaky sigh, Alice kissed Reaver &held him closer against her own body. He responded with a needy growl & felt his hard cock grind down hard on the girl's panties. Alice responded with a moan as well & held him closer until Reaver gently pried Alice's arms from him & sat up. With skillful fingers he coaxed her to sit up. Immediately, the bra was removed, & Reaver tossed it away to gently lie Alice down & then bask in her beauty.

It took all of the young woman's strength not to recover herself, & she instead clutched to the bed sheets below her, allowing Reaver the pleasure of drinking in her every curve with his eyes as his hands pushed down her panties. Alice began to panic immediately & Reaver smiled gently, pushing her back down & kissing her to soothe her. He'd hoped to get time to explore Alice's body for a little bit, but it seemed she was too paranoid & unready for that much intimacy just yet. He may as well get the messy part out of the way, anyway.

Slowly enveloping Alice's body in his arms, Reaver kissed the girl soundly until she was slowly but surely reduced to a shivering, whimpering, desperately needy state. With a predatory smirk, Reaver kissed Alice's forehead & then gently pinned her hands near her head before he finally pushed himself against her entrance, making the girl under him tense up.

"Alice, my angel," Reaver moaned needily into her neck, "If you want to stop, say so it _now_. After this, there will be no turning back. I won't be able to stop." Alice bit her lower lip & shut her eyes, as if trying not to lose her mind or punch him in the face. The way she was keeping herself from fighting him off was evident, & he was proud of her for it. Girls like her were the hardest to tame. That's because girls like Alice convinced themselves that sex only made them weak against their partner. Girls like Alice were actually right.

Deciding that he didn't want his precious virgin thinking on the subject of her predicament anymore, Reaver slowly released her wrists & then put his hands on her hips. In one hard, swift motion, Reaver shoved his hard length into Alice's body.

For a brief instance, he felt a very strong opposition against his thrust & Alice screamed in pain, her entire body tensing up. Reaver grew alarmed as he felt the proof of her virginity; blood that proved that he took had deflowered her. But why was she bleeding so much? With a wince of need, Reaver forced himself not to move as Alice thrashed under him in pain & anger, clearly not enjoying herself. Colorful curses & swears escaped her mouth & she hit his back & chest in futile attempts to escape. Reaver went completely still, trying to give her time to adjust to him, trying, as well, to give himself time to regain his control.

"You have to stop now," Alice then cried out, "I don't want this any longer." Tears streamed down her cheeks. She opened her eyes to look at him. "Stop now," she begged Reaver.

Reaver's expression showed his concern. A fine layer of sweat covered his brow. His jaw was clenched tight. She thought he must be in as much pain as she was. And then he shook his head at her. "I can't stop now," he grated out. "Just hold me, Alice. Don't move like that... it makes me want to . . ."

Reaver's' forehead dropped to rest on top of Alice's & he continued to hold her still under neath him. He closed his eyes against the sweet torment.

"Are you in pain, too?" she asked in a soft whimper.

"No, love," he whispered. "I'm not in pain."

"I'm not a virgin any longer, am I? We're done now, aren't we?" She was overwhelmed by the confusing emotions warring inside her. The pain was insistent. Alice wanted Reaver to leave her alone . . . and yet, she wanted him to hold her, too.

"No, Alice dear, you aren't a virgin any longer," he finally answered. "You're mine now. And we sure as hell aren't finished yet." Reaver actually sounded like he'd just run a great distance. The dark expression on his face when he looked at her again actually frightened her It was apparent he hated this as much as she did. Alice was purely devastated by her failure as a lover.

"I knew I wouldn't be any good at this," she cried out. "Please get off me. You're hurting me, Reaver."

Reaver growled when Alice started to wiggle under him again & shuddered for control. "Baby, I can't stop," he said again. He tried to kiss her, but she turned her face away and began to struggle even more, despite the fact that Reaver proved to be an immovable rock above her.

"If you don't stop, I'm going to start crying," she pleaded. "I hate to cry," she added with a sob against his ear. Reaver didn't dare mention the fact that Alice was already crying. He had planned to be gently, to comfort her; yet, now that he was fully pushed inside her tight hotness, it was hard not to just take her hard then & there.

"Love, the pain won't last long," Reaver promised. He hoped to Avo that he was right. His hands roughly cupped the sides of her face, and his mouth ended their heated "conversation". His tongue swept inside to rub hers as he slanted hi mout down, taking her mouth in deeper with his.

Reaver kissed Alice's temple & slowly began to move after a few minutes, reaching an arm under her to cradle against her as he thrusted into her body, allowing her to adjust to the invasion. Alice eventually felt the pain fading & held Reaver back, closing her eyes. It didn't feel good, but at least she didn't feel like she was being ripped in half. Reaver noticed her relaxing & began to move faster, feeling himself close to cumming in a few minutes. At last, he finished by moving frantically inside her & spilling his seed.

Reaver groaned & began to tenderly soothe Alice all over again, rubbing all over her skin & licking away her tears. Eventually Alice stopped muttering that she hated the rogue & rested under him, glad the ordeal was over. Reaver then pulled her from the blood stain in the sheets & cuddled her on the other side. He face went into her neck & he snuggled into her completely nude. Alice was too tired to care & Reaver took advantage, his free hand slowly running over her curves & smoothness.

"Alice, I promise that making love will never hurt like that again," Reaver finally assured the girl, kissing along her neck gently. Alice looked up at him in disbelief & Reaver smiled, smothering her with another embrace. He gently pet her hair as he held her against him & kissed the top of her head. Of course he wished that Alice wasn't one of the unlucky few with a thick hymen -it'd totally destroyed the gentle mood he wanted her to have- but at least the next time he bedded her, it would feel that much better. & Avo, if she rubbed her backside against him once more to get comfortable, all of his noble intentions would be gone. The little chit didn't comprehend how some of the things she did affected him.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Just Alice's luck to have a horrible first time. Just trying to be realistic though. I know VERY few girls that had a pleasant first time, & much fewer that "came". Plus, I think they're lying… unless they're masochists, of course…_


	13. Hot Water

_Author's Note:_

_If one more person says that Alice is a Mary Sue, I will shoot them. A Mary Sue is happy, jumpy, & perfect. Alice is far from perfect. Pay attention & you will see her abusive, cursing, bitchy ways. She even dreamed about stabbing her mom into mincemeat. Uh, HELLO?_

_& if you're going to try & insult my writing, do it on a real account. It just shows how much of a coward you are not to log in & prepare for me to defend my standpoint. Now I know why almost everyone on here blocks non-user comments. Dx _

_Thank you. :)_

_P.S. Starting next chapter, get ready to piss yo pants! MUAHAHAHAHAAA! xD_

* * *

The, next morning, Alice was sore as all hell. When Reaver tried to rouse her the next morning, she could barely move her legs without making her hips & insides ache. Reaver didn't understand why she would be in so much pain, he'd never bedded a virgin with a thick hymen before, but knew how to soothe it; a hot bath. With a kiss to Alice's forehead, Reaver wrapped her up in the bed sheets & carried her to the bathroom, where he kicked out a young woman finishing up with her morning duties. On second thought, Alice was placed on a stool & Reaver brought the girl back, ordering her to help them wash up for the day. Alice could see the shock on the girl's face at the sight of the slightly darkened spot of blood on Reaver's already crimson sheets. There would be rumors by the end of the day, but Alice could seem to give a damn. She'd worry about it later.

The bathroom was still a little cold from the night before; winter was just setting in. All Alice could do was cling to the sheet around her until Reaver pulled a maid into the room & then watched her start up a hot bath, pouring in lavender soap that created generous bubbles & a soft, soothing smell. She also fixed warm, wet wash cloths, which Reaver used to gently clean Alice's precious virgin blood from their bodies. Reaver cleaned himself first, having a bit of difficulty with getting Alice to stand until he agreed to send his maid back outside. Only after the young woman left the room did Alice concede to Reaver's wish to help her clean up.

Afterward, Reaver helped her stand & then gently wiped away the blood on her hips & thighs, noting that she refused to look at it at all. At him or herself at all. Which was probably the only reason she was putting up with Reaver seeing her entire body bare. Lazily, Reaver tossed the washrags he'd used into the sink & allowed flowing water to rinse them clean. Their poor attending maid would have to make sure herself, because all of Reaver's wash cloths were red.

"Do you have an aversion to blood, Dearest?" Reaver teased as he picked up Alice & then slowly lowered her into their steaming bath. Alice blushed, as if embarrassed & shrugged.

"Just mine," she finally admitted, "I can deal with buckets of blood in a hospital, or tend to someone's wounds, but for some reason, my own blood makes me panic." Reaver smiled deviously & climbed into the tub with his member hard again. Of course it was; he _was_ Reaver, after all. The idea of him being near a naked woman was probably an instant turn-on.

Reaver pulled Alice back against him & surprisingly drew no attention to the erection as he rested her head on his chest & rubbed her back when she twisted to her side to get closer in the large tub. The hot water covered Alice to her shoulders, forcing her every muscle to relax as Reaver skillfully dragged his fingertips along her skin. She was fully relaxed when he called the maid back in & almost fell asleep while the girl was given orders & then carried them out, removing the bloodied sheet & wash cloths before leaving to go clean Reaver's pleasure chamber with some other maids. Reaver never moved her until he reached around the tub & grabbed a clean washcloth to bathe them both.

Despite the grumpy moan of resistance that escaped Alice's mouth, Reaver helped her to her knees & took in her naked upper body, from her face to her waist. Her hair, still in a now messy braid, was pushed behind her as he used the wash cloth to scrub gently at her soft skin. When Reaver's hand traveled under the water, Alice bit her lower lip & reached out to place her hands onto his shoulders.

Of course, Reaver had to take it too far & began to inappropriately touch her.

& of course, Alice responded by socking him in the arm.

The mayhem continued for a few minutes until Reaver grew tired of playing & held Alice against him. The warm water around them swayed as he kissed Alice's shoulder, his arms holding her pressed against him. Slowly, his hands began to slide over Alice's body to entice her, to lure her into his dangerous spider web of lust. But Alice wasn't falling for it. Not after last night.

"Damn it, Reaver," the girl hissed, "I don't want to do _that_ again! Especially not in here!"

"Of course you do."

"No I don't."

"Yes."

"No!"

Reaver smiled & reached out a hand, feeling Alice's red cheek under his fingertips. Alice immediately looked away again, shoving him back with her fists balled up. Reaver immediately pulled her closer again, his mouth moving in to kiss her neck again. Alice let out a moan by mistake & felt like killing herself. The moan was the only incentive Reaver needed, & he quickly pulled her a bit closer to bruise her lips with his.

Her eyes clenched, Alice didn't feel notice his hand grabbing his member until it was too late. With one swift thrust, Reaver was inside. Alice let out a whimper of pleasure, her pain from last night considerably lessened. Her partner could tell & kissed her neck again as he held her closer & began to help her move her hips. Alice felt completely mortified by the lewd movements of her hips, even more so when she realized her pain had faded, & she was completely enjoying herself. Deciding she didn't want Reaver to see, Alice hugged him tightly, her arms locked around his neck as they moved their hips in unison.

**…_..._...**

Hero rubbed the back of his neck as he glanced over at the ballroom mask he'd used to infiltrate Reaver's mansion a few months ago. He could to it, easy. & no one would know who he was, either. But it was wrong just to _take_ something, even when the owner didn't deserve it. The king had a great dilemma indeed.

Springing out of his chair & startling his dog resting by the fire, Hero picked up the mask & placed it onto his face. He then went to his closet, putting on a completely black outfit that would conceal him in the dark. Now, completely transformed into what looked like a thief, Hero felt ready to save Alice from Reaver. He left his loyal dog at the castle as he scaled down the outside walls, heading to the underground headquarters where Page was sure to be. That woman loathed Reaver's very existence & was most likely to help him.

**…_..._...**

"Alice, you were so wonderful."

"Shut up, Reaver."

"So uninhibited, so bold!"

"Shut up."

"I mean, if I didn't know you were a virgin just yesterday, I-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP, REAVER!"

Reaver frowned at Alice as she turned away from him, curling up on her side of the bed. She kind of did have a right to be angry that he refused to use a condom again, but what else could he do? Free skin was just the tops. Scooting closer, Reaver smirked when Alice felt the movement & moved away from him more. But the poor girl could only escape so much, & eventually, Reaver wrapped himself around her & kissed her neck.

Alice shut her eyes & blushed darkly, hoping he wasn't in the mood again. Now that she'd given in, her every protest for him to stop was disregarded promptly. So now it was night time, & she was tired. If she remembered, they had sex about seven times. Her thighs were sore again like last night, but mostly because of the strain they were put through throughout the day.

Luckily, Reaver didn't want another round. He simply held his exhausted bed mate against him & closed his eyes, a rather loud yawn that was so unlike Reaver leaving his mouth. He felt like such a king, holding Alice the great prude against him finally defeated & deflowered. He knew he could break through the girl's defenses. It was only a matter of time & charm before any woman fell for his skills as a lover.

_BAM!_

Reaver opened his eyes as he heard a loud noise from downstairs. He growled at the annoyance & dragged himself from Alice before he kissed her forehead & walked out of his room, stark naked with his Dragonstomper in hand & cocked. Whoever did this wasn't leaving his home alive. Alice rolled her eyes at his nerve & cuddled under the covers again. Now that Reaver wasn't in the room, she opened a bedside table & grabbed the brooch that Reaver had bought her. She shouldn't like something that he of all people got for her, but… she did. Alice screamed into her pillow, feeling like a complete loser & buried her face into her pillow, the brooch still clutched tightly into her hand. She was too absorbed into her inner monologue to notice someone sneaking into the bedroom door & tiptoeing to her in the dark.

**…_..._...**

Downstairs, Reaver saw Page at his front doors. Or rather, on them. They had been blown off the hinges & now laid in his foyer. Leave it to her to make such a cataclysmic entrance. Scratching his head with the rim of his Dragonstomper, Reaver found himself less irritated of the break-in & sauntered up to Page, amused when she looked away & demanded that he put on clothes.

"My dear, you are in my home," Reaver responded, "I could wear a chicken suit if I wanted to." Page glared at Reaver again & scoffed. He probably would wear a chicken suit if it meant teasing her.

"So, care to explain what urgent business you have, Miss Page?" Reaver finally asked, beckoning one of the half-asleep & terrified servants that had woken. He motioned towards one of the chairs nearby & the young man nodded, dragging one immediately to Reaver. Just for the hell of it, Reaver fired a round into the boy's face & saw rage ignite in Page's eyes as the body fell to the ground, motionless. Oh, how he loved that expression. Page's anger held so much passion, it nearly stopped his heart.

**…_..._...**

Rubbing her face tiredly, Alice began to doze off when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She grumbled softly & turned to face Reaver. But it wasn't Reaver leaning over her. Alice screamed. Loudly.

The masked person in the bedroom covered his ears when Alice screamed & looked totally panic, especially when Alice dragged herself out of bed totally naked. The masked Hero felt his heart plummet to the ground when he realized that this meant that Reaver had finally bedded the girl. He felt so guilty for not being able to protect her virtue. That monster & stripped her of innocence, & he would pay for it.

Just then, a rustling came from the stairs & Hero lunged forward, wrapping Alice in the sheets to hinder her thrashing hands & legs & hoisted her over his shoulder. Something clattered on the floor next to him, but Hero was too busy pointing his clockwork pistol at the large window in Reaver's room. It shot a hole through the glass, fine cracks forming throughout the entire surface. Then, he ran for the window, its weakened state disintegrating as he jumped through it as Reaver came inside. Alice screamed as they plummeted down & into the bushes nearby.

"REAVER!"

Her voice echoed in the room as Reaver rushed towards the window & then looked around. The damn bastard who took Alice was already gone. Then his mind veered back to Page. It was odd for her to come to his home like she did, even if she was angry. Reaver walked back to his foyer to find Page, indeed, gone. That cheeky bitch.


	14. He Looked Away

_Author's Note:_

_Short chapter; it's pretty much filler. Bleh. Bite me._

* * *

Though Reaver kept his composure as he called for servants & had them clean up his door & window, he was raging on the inside about being tricked. Who would dare to sneak into his home & steal one of his possessions? Who would be able to get Page to help? Who would target Alice?

Reaver smirked to himself as he sat on his side of the bed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He then looked in the bed, feeling around until he found his proof; the great king left some of his blasted mutt fur on the sheets. He really needed to be more careful about these things. But that still didn't help him too much, considering he was talking about the king. It wasn't like he could storm the castle & take Alice back. The king would probably enjoy marking Reaver as a traitor way too much.

Reaver frowned when he was realized what he was doing. Why would he stick his neck out for Alice, or any woman for that matter? He'd already gotten what he wanted from her, anyway. Let the king have his sloppy leftovers.

He was Reaver. & Reaver allowed himself to love nothing.

**…_..._...**

Alice glared at Hero from his bed, now dressed in a modest nightgown. He was at the fire, downing the rest of his wine. & no matter how much Alice insisted that Reaver had done nothing cruel or unusual, he wouldn't believe her. It was like talking to a wall.

"Send me back, Hero," she hissed one final time, "Now." Hero shook his head & watched his dog curiously as it hopped onto the bed & moved to cuddle against Alice. She looked at the dog thoughtfully & said nothing.

"Alice, I know I might seem… cruel for this, but Reaver is evil," Hero insisted with a pleading voice, "He's brainwashed you somehow; he's made you believe that you matter to him. I swear that by the end of the week, he'll be back to his old ways, buying whores off the street & parading around Bowerstone to shoot unsuspecting people." Alice frowned & looked away, still angry. She knew he was right, but maybe if she were _there_, Reaver would stay with only her… Not likely.

With a deep growl Alice threw herself back down in bed & curled up. She heard Hero shuffling a bit closer & growled again.

"Come near me & I will fucking kill you," she hissed. Hero frowned, wanting to mention that she was in his bed, but then thought otherwise. Alice would come around eventually; he would just have to be patient. Leaving his tower room quietly, Hero left the dog with Alice & went to his newer bedroom near the battle room. It usually depressed him because of the childrens' room just next door, but he would have to get over it tonight.

**…_..._...**

The very next morning, Reaver was in Bowerstone castle for "business." He approached the throne room around noon, his opposition being Page, which was completely guessable. Anything Reaver stood for, Page would be against. She _hated_ him with every fiber of her being, mostly because of the struggle she had to grow up with. & now, in the throne room, she could get back at him.

As Hero moved to his throne, Reaver gave both him & Page a knowing smile, & winked. The shock in their eyes was more than enough to please him. But without a word said on Alice's disappearance, business got underway.

Alice herself watched in the crowds of the throne room, staring at Reaver. She felt completely & utterly betrayed when Reaver looked totally unfazed about how she was gone. Hero was right. She was wasting her time with hoping Reaver thought of her as any more than a nuisance. Slowly, the young woman snuck her way out of the room, but not without making eye contact with Reaver. He regarded her for the faintest moment before turning back to Page who was complaining about starving kids or something equally boring. Alice's hurried walk broke out into a run as she escaped the throne room & went back to the tower bedroom. He really _didn't_ care.


	15. You're Going Down

_Author's Note:_

_Okay, you guys, the sweet, ooey gooey crap is over. Now I can enjoy myself & torture the characters in this fanfiction & have some REAL fun._

_Warning, there will be a time gap, but it's for your benefit. I'm sure you all don't want to have to deal with the monotonous details that lead up to the continuation of this story. Besides, I like screwing with brains & wanna throw a lot of WTF? moments at everyone._

_Because I love youuuu… Promise._

_& we pick up right after The Crawler is defeated. Just letting you know._

_Also, let me explain Alice's standpoint a bit more clearly. Before she met Reaver, her biggest problem was that her mom was a hooker. I never really had a chance to explain her background, but Alice is from a middle class background in Earth's world, so she's never really had to worry over money, issues with maintaining hygiene, or even worry about being "picked on". Trust me, people like that DO exist. I was one of them._

_If you sadistic people really want her to be totally anguished & crazy, it's coming. Now that Reaver's put his little touch of cataclysm in her life, the crap has hit the fan. There will be hell to pay. "Hell hath no fury like a scorned woman" & yada yada, all that jazz._

_Does that explanation suffice...?_

* * *

"Alice!"

Hero's voice echoed in the hall as he ran to the young woman who walked alone. He grabbed her shoulder & forced her to face him, making her close her eyes dizzily & cling to his shoulders for support. Hero frowned apologetically, but was too rushed to give her a break just yet. Grabbing Alice's arm, Hero rushed her to his War Room & stuffed a letter into her face. Alice studied it, holding back a snort as she did.

In Reaver's elegant handwriting, the wealthy fiend explained why he didn't attend the epic battle against The Crawler & that he hoped the best wishes for Hero & the "little flower" in his custody. Alice growled & crumpled it before tossing it across the room. It took all of her self-control not to use her Will to burn it to ashes, no, dust. He had the nerve to send that letter after everything that happened?

"Your majesty, you must put a price on his head!" Alice hissed angrily through grit teeth, "This letter proves that he willingly deserted you in battle for… only Avo knows!" Hero stared down it his world map of Albion, greatly mulling over his situation. In essence, yes, he should make Reaver a wanted man, & for more than the current situation. But Reaver was also strong himself. He had to be, considering that Hero couldn't remember him aging a day since he'd met him as a child.

"Alice, I will put it into consideration," Hero murmured as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Reaver is a powerful political figure. We need more proof than a letter to pursue him." Alice clenched her fists & looked down at the floor, blinded with rage. She thought Hero of all people would want Reaver gotten rid of, as much as her, if not more. The woman let out an enraged scoff & ran out of the War Room. Hero frowned, but decided not to follow. Alice had a short temper, but she would concede in due time & see that he was right.

**…_..._...**

Alice ran up to her room in the tower & slammed the door shut, still seeing red. She paced the floor back & forth, racking her mind on what to do. & then her feet stopped moving. Alice stood completely still, knowing what she had to do. If no one else had the courage to take down Reaver, she would have to. She had lost too much in life to allow him to just live on with his merry life.

Quickly, Alice went to her closet & pulled out her traveling pack, several potions & food, & an extra gun incase her Red Dragon couldn't handle all of the action it would soon face. She then grabbed her usual weapons & placed them on the bed before her, going into the closet to find good, sturdy traveling clothes. Finally deciding on something, she put it on & a traveling coat on top. Now she was ready to go. Of course, she needed a distraction. Looking over at her bed, she smirked when she saw Hero's dog laying over it like usual.

She could work with this.

**…_..._...**

"Blasted dog!" the cook shrieked as the canine raced through. With a scarf tied securely around his neck & the base of his tail, (not tight enough to hurt, of course) he barreled through the castle, running into servants, guards, & nobles alike. Everyone was in an uproar. People tripped over others, some stepped back into corners so as not to be crushed, & poor Hero came out of his room just to be caught in the middle of all of it.

Quickly, her chased down his poor dog & freed him of the restraints, but not without seeing Alice slip out the front door. This time, he chased after her. Carefully milling through the calming nobles, Hero reached the front door of the castle just as Alice got out of the grounds. He didn't have to wonder where she was going. Alice was going to Reaver's mansion for clues of his whereabouts. Hero slammed his fist against the doorway, startling a few nearby nobles as he watched the horizon, wishing her figure would come back. But it didn't. Alice was gone.

**…_..._...**

Alice panted heavily when she reached Millifields just outside Bowerstone. She went on runs often, but never at top speed. She was so worried that Hero would catch her that her instincts kicked in, throwing her into full drive.

Now, as twilight shined upon the Bowerstone Lake, Alice found herself growing antsy. But still, she continued walking to Reaver's house. What if Reaver never left? She could only imagine how awkward it would be if she just showed up at his manor… Well, it'd be awkward for her. Reaver would probably in the middle of an orgy or something equally pervtastic. It was amazing how she could think that of someone so easily.

Finally, Alice stood on Reaver's doorstep after twenty minutes of walking & striking down the mercenaries that stood in her path. Nervously, Alice knocked on the front door once. Twice. Then three times. Luckily, no one came. She took in a deep breath & opened the front door slowly, looking around the foyer. It was exactly as it was when she left, exquisite & overly-furnished. The only new thing that graced Reaver's Manor was the cobwebs & dust that accumulated over time. Alice kept herself from daydreaming over memories & got to work.

She started in Reaver's study, not really shocked when she found nothing of interest. No, it wasn't Reaver's style to be obvious or straight-forward. So now she had to go to the one other place that Reaver would keep anything; his bedroom. Alice begrudgingly dragged herself to the familiar room & looked into it. No one was there; thank Avo. Alice then pushed open the door & walked inside, wondering where to look. How about the small desk? Alice checked. Nothing. The chest of drawers? Nope. Then… the bed.

Alice scowled & put her travel pack on the desk before she went to the bed, searching in the sheets & pillows for anything. When that failed, she climbed off & checked under the mattress. Bingo! Alice grabbed a stack of papers that were tied together with a ribbon, something catching her eye in the cracks of the bed frame underneath. Alice dropped the bed down & then looked under it, her heart stopping cold.

She reached out, grabbed, & sat on the edge of the bed, papers forgotten as she gingerly ran her fingers over the brooch Reaver had bought her that time they went to town about a year ago. The room grew dark as the sun finally set upon the horizon, & she tried to quell the memories she shared with Reaver in this mansion. Trembling, the young woman clutched the brooch against her heart, bowing her head as she began to cry.

* * *

_My DeviantART Account/ Art for This Fanfic:_

_www. vampire-muffin. deviantart. com_


	16. Effing Banshees

For once, Wraithmarsh was quiet. The hollowmen stayed in the ground where they should as the sun peeked through the trees, warming the usually fogged & dank marsh into something more, well, livable. Alice didn't feel as sad & hopeless as the travelling map seller told her she would be.

As Alice ventured on through mud & moss, she looked through Reaver's diary pages once more. She was trying to pull apart what every word meant, & how Reaver could sound almost _human_ in some of his entries. He was really fuzzy on some details though, like who "she" was, though Alice could tell Reaver loved the woman deeply. This woman was apparently dead now, along with a place called Oakvale. & for some reason, Reaver blamed himself for what happened to both.

Suddenly, a screech that could rival a banshee was heard throughout Wraithmarsh as Alice fell forward into the mud, wetting the papers in her hands. Damn! Double damn!

Alice screamed in frustration & pulled herself out of the muck, not daring to look at the soaked diary as she shoved it into her traveling pack, lest she completely lose her mind. Well, at least she was on her way to Bloodstone. Alice couldn't be sure that Reaver was even there, but he'd mentioned that he'd built a mansion there a few times, & it seemed to be a place of value to him. But first, she had to pass through this hell hole known as Wraithmarsh alive. Her first punch into Reaver's perfectly groomed face would be for this detour.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeelp!"

Alice stopped in her tracks. Who the hell was that? It sounded like a crying woman, but there was no way there would be someone like that all the way out here…

"Heeeelp meeeee!"

Groaning, Alice rubbed the back of her neck & looked around again. The voice seemed to be coming from… that really creepy cemetery over there. _Great_. Alice groaned again & walked to the cemetery, dreading where this deviation from her trip to Bloodstone was going. Who would be dumb enough to come out here if they couldn't protect themselves? Alice nonetheless gritted her teeth & went in. She just hoped that the situation wasn't too dire. A year of weapon training wasn't enough to prepare her for anything harder than a balverine pack, no matter how "amazing" it was to the townspeople of Bowerstone.

"Heeeeelp! Please!"

Alice jumped out of her worries & ran to the voice, finding a sobbing woman, crumpled in a heap of her skirts & cape in the back corner. She looked absolutely dismayed, hunched over one of gravestones & crying. There was an unsettling fog in the air about the two of them, but Alice ignored the sinking feeling in her chest & slowly approached the crying woman again.

"Ma'am…?" Alice called softly as she shuffled a bit closer.

The woman let out a low groan & sobbed, "My babies…" Alice looked around, biting her lower lip. There were no children here. & if they were, there was no hope of survival & Alice felt really bad for them.

"My babies…" the woman moaned again as Alice placed her hand on her trembling shoulder. A molded, boney hand reached up to grab Alice's hand & the young adventurer paled. Oh fuck, a banshee. Alice teetered back, her eyes wide as the "woman" lifted herself from the gravestone, little gremlin creatures coming out of forming mist. Alice ran.

The banshee taunted Alice as she gave pursuit. Her "children" slashed at Alice, cutting through her coat & clothes, down to her unmarred skin. Well, she had to get her battle scars from somewhere, right?

"_It's your fault he didn't love you,"_ the banshee murmured softly. Alice shut her eyes & ran faster.

"_It's your fault she didn't live."_

Alice tried not to fall over as a stitch formed at her side, filling her hip with intense agony. The babies continued to follow her with knowing grins on their sick little faces.

"_You just couldn't stay healthy enough… you weak creature!"_

Leveling her head eventually, Alice shot down a few of the babies, as well as a few rounds into their "mommy". She let out an enraged shriek, sending Alice flying down a flight of stone stairs. Stairs?

Alice groaned in pain & looked up to see Bloodstone just in front of her, people everywhere. The banshee saw them too. Without falter, the banshee turned its attention to the town & approached the unsuspecting people within. Its fog surrounded everything, making it her territory. This was _so_ not good.

Paling, Alice picked herself up off the stairs, wincing when she had to hold her side. Ripping open her coat, she noticed a deep gash in her side; maybe that wasn't just a stitch earlier, but still. When the hell was that there? No matter. She could still handle this… maybe. Downing a potion, Alice buttoned her coat back up & ran to the town, screaming at people to hide. She didn't have to say it twice; people ran into nearby homes, hotels, & bars, locking every door & window shut.

Alice reloaded her Red Dragon & shot the banshee again, earning yet another force wave that slammed her into a nearby bar, caving the wood siding in just a bit for she fell forward on her hands & knees. She felt so dizzy, & tired, & weak. Maybe if she napped the banshee wouldn't notice…

Oh no, Alice was not going down like this, not to a whining, pathetic mother that couldn't let her kids go.

Yelling at the top of her lungs, Alice picked herself off of the ground & lunged forward. She narrowly missed a few swipes from the baby, her blade coming out just in time to stab straight into the banshee's face. It let out a blood curdling scream & exploded into a cloud of mist. Just like that, the mayhem was gone, & Alice lying on her back in the road. Today was not a good day. The young woman felt like passing out, but she dragged herself up anyway, immediately connecting eye-line with the huge mansion at the top of town. There was no question who it was for.

Alice grabbed two more potions & drank them down before she felt alert enough to walk to the mansion; she also reloaded the Red Dragon & unclipped the holster for her sword. Now it was time to go meet up with a ghost of her past; she would have to rest later.


	17. Samarkand Strikes Again

"My goodness sir, how many girls is that this week?" James sighed as he came into the room to find Molly the whore dead at Reaver's feet. As if the corpse didn't exist, Reaver took a large sip from his goblet of wine & shrugged.

"I think only the eighth," the man mused to himself mostly, "I can't help it if a whore can't do her job correctly." James sighed & fetched some mercenaries from a nearby bar to clean up Reaver's mess. Meanwhile, Reaver went to the bathroom to take a bath & relax himself. On the way there, the fiend wrapped his arm around a nearby maid's waist & dragged her to the bathroom for some fun.

She had a wedding ring around one of those cute, womanly fingers, but since when had that stopped him from getting what he wanted? Certainly not now.

**…_..._...**

When Alice finally arrived at the mansion, no one seemed to be around. With a dark growl, she tied a sheer cloth over her face as a mask, opened the front door, & let herself in, leaving the door halfway open just in case she needed a quick get-away. Alice then pulled out the Red Dragon & began to sweep the house. Kitchen? Empty. Study? Empty. Bedroom? Ugh, of course he'd be in the blasted bedroom. Alice bit her lower lip & forced herself to go upstairs, veering to the right & opening the nearest room. It was all empty… well, except for the dead hooker at the foot of the bed. Reaver was definitely in here already.

Alice rubbed her temples as she slowly entered the room, a cold chill running down her spine when she heard a door opening in a distance. Another chill ran down her back when she heard Reaver's laugh. What was worse, it sounded like he was getting closer, along with another person. Alice panicked & ran to the back of the large bed in the center of the room, dropping to the ground. Big mistake. Alice rolled her eyes when she heard a woman squeal, followed by the bed shaking when she was tossed onto it. She should have figured the pervert would be in the middle of something like this.

Alice looked around the corner just in time to see the two in the middle of a very heated kiss, grinding & arching in only their undergarments. Alice just had to escape & deal with Reaver later; this was far too awkward for her to even stand. Then it happened. Reaver looked away from his partner for just a moment, making eye contact with Alice's black mask. He looked away at first as she froze in fear, as if it never dawned onto him what he saw, & then he looked at Alice again. Within that very moment, he pulled out his Dragonstomper & aimed.

Alice's squeal rung out throughout the room as she just barely dodged the bullet & then pulled out her own gun. The maid was already running out the door when another shot ran through the air, making Alice duck out of the way once more & run for her very life. Oh God, this couldn't be happening! Alice forced her wobbly legs to work & took off for the front door as fast as she could. Reaver walked out of his room at a leisurely pace & easily found a way to trap his escaping victim. He then smirked & shot the leg of a long table next to the front door before he began to sprint after the intruder. The table's leg shattered instantly, & the huge vase on top of it fell, slamming the front door shut as it was crushed upon impact with the floor. Alice ran straight into the door before falling back onto the ground, the feel of cold marble slamming on her back suddenly knocking the wind out of her. She let out a breathless grunt & heard Reaver coming before he got to her.

The next thing she knew, Reaver was pouncing on her, his gun at her temple while he ripped her gun away & straddled her waist. The Red Dragon skittered across the floor & smacked against the wall across Reaver's foyer. His first plan had been to kill the person who dared to break into his house, but now that he was up close, he could tell the intruder was a woman, had curves, & was actually pretty damn hard to kill. She was a real firecracker, she was. Smiling, Reaver reached up to the woman's face & then yanked off the off the makeshift mask. His smile faded when his dark chocolate eyes met with very familiar, very heterochromatic eyes. This had to be a joke.

"Alice?"

Alice looked away, the swell of her bosom lifting & dropping nervously as she tried not to panic under Reaver. It was barely working. This was not unnoticed by Reaver, & for a moment, his attention was greatly diverted by her… bodily growth since he'd last seen her. All at once, Reaver became a complete gentleman. He got off of his captive & helped her to her feet, placing her firearm back into her hands. Alice watched Reaver suspiciously, but he merely looped his arm into hers & led her to his sitting room. At that moment, James returned, staring in wonder as a nearly naked Reaver escorted a dirty, bloody, & disheveled Alice to the sitting room. What the hell?

"I do wish that you would have sent a messenger before you came," Reaver said in fake disappointment, "I would have had a party in your honor!" In a less than gentle guide of his hands, Reaver pushed Alice into the parlor room & shoved her promptly into a chair. He then summoned a maid, ordering her to fetch his clothes. She did so & put Alice's gun on the table before she took off to do Reaver's bidding. Not one to be patient, Reaver sat in a chair before the maid came back & opened a wine bottle on ice that always waited for Reaver in the parlor. There were always guests to entertain in the Reaver Mansion.

Alice watched Reaver suspiciously as he made himself comfortable, pouring wine for them both. She closed her eyes & rubbed her temples once again, making Reaver smirk that devilish smile of his before he stood & gave Alice a goblet. Alice looked into the cup & sniffed it. It smelled exotic, warm, & sweet. But not like poison. Maybe it was safe. She looked over to Reaver, who sipped his own wine as if to answer her question. She was watching him the whole time, but still. Reaver was the type to have casually laced wines in his home. She still remembered the aphrodisiac incident in his other mansion.

"What is this?" Alice finally asked, looking up to see Reaver take another sure sip of his wine.

"Just a simple white wine with a nice vanilla tinge to it, Love," Reaver murmured, "It's one of my many spoils from Samarkand." Samarkand? Alice couldn't quite recall that name, but it seemed familiar. Oh well, it'd be a sin to waist. Alice downed the drink & heard the soft slosh of Reavoer pouring her another glass.

"I can see the hero lifestyle is treating you well," Reaver announced with a smile. Alice ignored the man's lecherous stare as it rested on her swelled bosom & drank her next glass of wine, downing the whole thing in one go again. Reaver looked surprised for a moment out of the corner of Alice's vision but that disbelief swiftly faded. He then grabbed the wine bottle & poured more wine for his guest, his dark eyes watching hers as a dashing smile took over his handsome features. Alice watched the man quietly & drank more of the sweet wine, finishing half of her goblet this time.

Reaver's eyes glittered rather dangerously before he finally allowed his gaze to venture down, taking in her improved form. Womanhood was finally upon her body, enlarging her breasts, widening her hips, & finally, she didn't look like one of the starved women of Bowerstone; she actually had a bit of muscle on that scrawny frame. Alice now had curves for Reaver's hands to grab onto & all around… substance. Reaver, of course, wanted to try out her new body, & even find out what fun things she'd learned in his absence.

"So, dear Alice," Reaver purred, "What have you been doing in my absence? I really hope that The Crawler was defeated…?"

Alice could finally take no more. She brought herself to a stand & grabbed her Red Dragon from the table before she pointed it directly at Reaver's face, not at all liking the smirk he kept in place. Wasn't he worried at all that she would shoot? Certainly he didn't have _that_ much faith in himself. It was entirely impossible for one man to be so cocky.

"Reaver, you are under arrest by the law of Albion's king," Alice hissed, an amused gleam now in Reaver's eyes, "Your crimes entail high treason & desertion. &… &…." & then, her vision began to swim; all at once, Alice was dizzy, & sluggish, & sleepy. She _knew_ that Reaver had put something into the wine. Alice staggered back against the table, vaguely hearing the wine bottle crash on the ground as she tried to keep her aim true.

"Y-you bastard!"

Reaching up slowly, Reaver slowly slid his hand up the barrel of Alice's trembling gun & hands, watching his adorably flustered guest trying to maintain her footing & aim. But she was growing so weak; it was obvious that she couldn't even pull the trigger now; surely she must realize that her gun selection was too heavy for tis occasion. Reaver smirked in the wake of his victory & stood, towering over Alice as he pulled her gun from her limp grasp & his hands reached up to wrap around herbody. Even with her disgusting clothes on, the feel of her body against his felt as amazing as he predicted, if not better. He could see the fight still in Alice's eyes even as she grew physically unresponsive to him; that please him more than she could ever know.

"W-what… what was… that stuff?" Alice asked with a labored voice. Reaver smirked & wrapped his hands onto her body; one around her waist, & the other under her nice bottom. Alice hissed at the contact, & Reaver squeezed just to spite the fiery hell cat. She didn't disappoint; Reaver had to grab Alice's hands & restrain them at her sides as he shoved her bottom under the table & ground his hips on her. It had been far too long since they last shared sheets, he then decided as Alice tried desperately not to let him kiss her.

"That my dear, was a common wine used in Samarkand to cure insomnia," Reaver murmured as he finally answered Alice's question, "One is supposed to sip it slowly to soothe their bodies into a good sleep, but of course, you drank it down like the greedy minx you are." Alice growled again & began to push against Reaver in a futile effort to escape, unable to move an inch away from him before his arms tightened about her. Reaver liked this.

Usually, the special wine would have completely knocked someone out by now, but Alice was still fighting, even when Reaver adjusted the weakened woman into a bridal hold in his arms, carrying her to his bedroom. Usually, he'd take his victim to the guest room, but he & Alice had a nice little tradition of gracing his own bed. It would be such a shame to break tradition.

…**_..._...**

Alice let out a sluggish groan as Reaver tossed her onto the edge of his bed, now unable to open her eyes & move as her captor climbed on as well. He slowly moved over Alice until he gazed down at her, directly positioned above her. He took in her red cheeks, her soft, labored pants for breath, & finally, her ragged appearance. The sight of mud, blood, & cuts on a woman's body should turn off any man, but Reaver wasn't a normal man. He rather liked the idea of Alice stumbling & fighting through Wraithmarsh, just to hunt him down. She had really blossomed into a vengeful, passionate woman over the past year, hadn't she?

Slowly, Reaver ran a finger over Alice's slightly parted lips as sleep finally conquered her, contemplating if he should take his dear friend now into the depths of passion, or wait until she was conscious again…

Well, waiting wasn't exactly his style. He could just enjoy her all over again when she awoke, anyway. Eagerly, Reaver pulled Alice's travel pack off of her unconscious form & ripped away her sword, Will gauntlets, & gun holster. With renewed eagerness, Reaver moved down the bed & removed the boots he let hang off the edge of his bed for cleanliness before Reaver scooped an arm under Alice's waist & effortlessly pulled her to the center of his bed. Now, to rid Sleeping Beauty of her pesky coat.

Reaver leaned up onto the heels of his feet as he grabbed his dagger from the bedside table. He pointed the tip down, effortlessly cutting the dingy garment open. Reaver then ripped apart the pieces & gently pulled Alice out of the sleeves, tossing the filthy coat off of his bed & out of sight. As he did, a glimmer inside of Alice's cleavage caught his attention. He pulled, wondering if it was a gem, eventually having to flip her neckline out when he realized the source of the glittering was fastened to the inside of her shirt.

"Oh my…" Reaver let out breathlessly. In his hand was the very brooch that he'd given to Alice in Bowerstone Market. A devious smile curled up the corner of his lips before he gently flipped Alice's collar back into place & removed her corset & skintight jumper suit. Kissing Alice's forehead, Reaver climbed out of his bed & left her sleeping. At the door, the maid he'd ordered to fetch his clothes waited with his garments in hand. Usually Reaver would have shot the incompetent git in the face by now, but he needed her help for the moment. He'd kill her after she was done with her next task.

"See to it that this young woman is cleaned & healed," Reaver ordered the young woman, "I want her put in something cute & easy to rip off for bed tonight." The maid nodded & Reaver headed to the bathroom with his clothes & Alice's brooch in hand, his dark eyes foreshadowing all kinds of things, possibilities that her possession of this item opened up for him.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I just love the concept of love/hate relationships. Don't you? xD_


	18. She Wants Me

_Author's Note:_

_Sorry this update took so long. Mini writer's block. I so need to start drafting before I write. x_x_

* * *

When Alice awoke the next morning, she felt warmth all around her. Eagerly she snuggled closer to it, jumping in shock when she heard a chuckle in the distance. Immediately she rolled out of bed, taking a fighting stance. Reaver, who now apparently was the person that laughed, watched Alice in amusement & propped himself up on one arm. & damn it, it was _freezing_. Painful shivers ran through Alice's body as she was forced to retreat to the bed, curling her body up into a ball… far away from Reaver & his devilish grin.

"Reminds you of old times, doesn't it?" Reaver chuckled, his free hand gliding along the comforter on his bed & very slowly inching to Alice. Alice noticed the small effort to reach her & growled, backing to the edge of the bed.

"I don't want old times with a lecher like you," Alice responded curtly, "& why is it so damn cold, exactly?" Alice couldn't remember if Albion had invented anything beyond simple room furnaces, but if there was an invention spike on AC, Reaver would be the first to have it. She could imagine him enjoying the fact that sweat wasn't ruining his perfect hair.

"Dear Alice, we are currently on the coast," Reaver replied matter-of-factly, "With winter quickly approaching, we are in the middle of a cold front." Alice sighed & buried her face into a pillow. She tensed up quite considerably when Reaver grabbed her hand & dragged her back to him. Alice looked up at him with irritation & shied away from the wine glass he was now holding.

"Don't even think about it," she growled, sitting up, "I'm never going to drink anything given to me around you; & plus, haven't you ever heard of water or fruit juice?" Reaver simply shrugged & took a sip for himself before gracefully depositing it on the bedside table. Alice crossed her arms over the flimsy nightgown she realized she was in & tried to keep a train of thought.

"I'm still going to arrest you, Reaver," Alice announced. Reaver smiled & snaked his arm around her waist, his head resting in her lap as if she hadn't said a word. Alice grew angrier & tried to pry the man from her body, but the perverted man latched to her wouldn't budge. How did a lazy, pervert aristocrat get the physique of a god?

"Are you listening to me?"

Reaver looked up & gripped Alice's hips, using it to drag her onto her back. Alice wiggled & yelled colorful swears until Reaver placed his hand over her mouth & pinned her still under him. Alice's eyes shot open, connecting with Reaver's. He regarded her quietly for a moment, reaching into the pillow below them & pulling out his secret weapon; Alice's brooch. Reaver held back a chuckle when Alice's pretty eyes widened considerably; she knew she was caught.

"Alice, dearest, I really don't think that you're going to turn me in," Reaver teased, "I know you still care for me, under that cold, sour, harsh, _cruel_ exterior of yours. & I think it's adorable, I really do." Alice growled under Reaver's mouth, & with strength he wasn't expecting, Alice shoved the man off of her & snatched her pendant back from him. Reaver roared in laughter & watched her climb out of bed, searching his closets for something she could put on. With amusement, he purposefully neglected to mention that a dress had been prepared for her already & watched her put on one of his oversized shirts, a pair of his pants, & fish out her waist-corset out of her deposited clothes from last night. Reaver winced at how she held his impeccable clothing up with such a dingy thing, but it was worth seeing her in his clothes, & honestly, looking quite ridiculous. Silently, he noted that she pinned the brooch to the inside of her shirt again.

"If you don't care for me," Reaver said, "Why do you still have that trinket?" Alice sighed, searching the room until she found her Will gloves & sword. But where was her gun? Alice continued looking as she fastened her gun holster in place. She tried to ignore Reaver's question, but he was relentless, even getting out of the bed & into the cold. He stood before Alice in all of his naked glory; a signature smile played on his lips as he placed his hands on Alice's shoulder's to hold her still.

"Why do you still have it?" he asked more sternly. Alice's eyes fixed into a cold hard stare before she slapped his hands off of her & sat on the edge of his bed to pull on her stockings & boots.

"I keep it as a warning to myself," Alice finally relented. Reaver looked at her confusedly, calling in a servant when she knocked on the door. A meek girl about Alice's age came in & gathered a suit of clothes, stopping in place when she saw Alice already dressed. & then she paled, backing up a little.

"P-please forgive me!" the girl squealed, "I w-was certain you'd l-like the d-dress…" Alice looked up at the maid… & then too Reaver. He gave her a dashing smile & she rolled her eyes. Of course he wouldn't be nice enough to tell her.

"Please bring me the dress," Alice sighed. The girl nodded, & fetched the dress after placing Reaver's clothing.

**…_..._...**

"Reaver, I'm not joking," Alice grumbled.

"Neither am I," came a smooth reply from behind. Alice turned back around & glared at Reaver as he sat back in his chair, the maid from earlier now gently fixing the cravat around his neck as he stared back at the indignant woman in his room. When the maid finished he shooed her away, pushing out of the chair & slowly approaching her. He picked up the dress made of silk lavender from his bed & tauntingly swayed it before her eyes once more before he jerked it from her grasp.

"If you don't dress before me, you have to wear that," Reaver pointed to the makeshift & rather undesirable ensemble that she'd thrown together before she knew that a dress had been picked out for her. Damn that Reaver. But she also knew that he was serious; that man never passed up a chance to see a woman (or man, from what she'd heard) naked. Alice looked down at the dress once more, wondering if it was worth her dignity… It wasn't.

"I'll be back later," Alice said with a glare towards Reaver. He gave her an innocent grin & followed her out of his room, then down the stairs.

"I thought you were going to arrest me?" Reaver taunted his unwilling guest.

"That's why I'm going to town," Alice growled as she found her gun in the foyer & picked it up off the floor, "I'm going buy handcuffs." James entered the room as Alice put her gun away & hurried to open the front door for her.

"Oh, kinky," Reaver commented with a smirk, "I didn't know you were into s&m."

"What the hell is- oh never mind."

Alice turned on her heel, stalking her way outside. She tried not to look back at Reaver, but the second she did, Reaver was right behind her, wrapping his arms around her to pin her body against his. Quickly, he pressed his lips on hers, pulling back before she could bite him.

"Good bye, Dear," Reaver teased Alice as she shoved herself away, flustered & embarrassed, "I simply can't wait till you come back." With a hard glare, Alice ran out of Reaver's mansion, the view of her nice, shapely ass disappearing when James closed the front door.

"Did you see that, James?" Reaver asked as he walked at a leisure pace to the dining room. James didn't answer, knowing by now that Reaver was probably just gloating. & he was.

"She fights like a hell cat, but the passion we share is unrivaled by gods," Reaver said with a smirk, "She wants me."


	19. It Never ENDS

_Author's Note:_

_I'm really starting to get fed up with people telling me that I'm "doing it wrong" or "not getting this right". Has anyone yet realized that they're wasting their breath? It's FANFICTION. FAN being a root word in the equation. Meaning, it's my story. I mean, don't people have other things to do but pick apart my product of boredom & daydreams?_

_But you know, in the end, NO ONE knows how this story would play out in real life, because it's NOT REAL. Trust me, I would LOVE to pack my bags & move to Albion, but you guys, really? Grow up a little or just don't read my story. It's a simple decision... Now I REALLY wanna move to Albion. I could make a living helping that stalker Benjemina get her hands on all kinds of Reaver's stuff. xD_

_P.S. Has anyone else noticed that the company logo on Big Time Rush is just like Reaver's logo? I almost snorted my Perrier this morning when I saw that._

* * *

"Reaver can 'ave me anytime e' wants…" the young woman following Alice stated. Alice knew she was a whore looking for customers, but did she really think that Alice was going to lead poor, unsuspecting victims to that snake's home? Though the idea greatly appealed to her when it came to this chatter box, she still had a conscience.

"Ey' girl, you lisenin'?"

Alice turned on her heel & looked the young prostitute in the face. She was so young; why did she resort to _this_ lifestyle? Maybe she was just dumb.

"Look, despite what you've convinced yourself, I don't like that pig in any shape or form," Alice growled. The girl shrugged & played with her hair, a bit disinterested.

"But ye a Hero, aren't ya, one o' th' ones that took down Th' Crawler?" she countered easily, "Don't that mean he gotta listen t' ya?" Alice rolled her eyes & began walking again.

"No, it doesn't."

**…_..._...**

"So, what guarantees that I won't just kill you & search for this treasure you speak of on my own?" Reaver drawled as he regarded an old man, trembling before him & looking around nervously.

"W-well, I guess not…"

"Well then-"

A gunshot rang through the sitting room & the old man fell dead to the ground. Without being told, James scurried forward & took the map from the deceased treasure hunter. Sometimes, this job just made him want to die… literally. Pissing off Reaver to receive a bullet between the eyes seemed like a pretty damn good relief as he walked to his boss & handed him the map. Reaver opened it unhurriedly & rubbed his chin. The map _looked_ legitimate. & there was probably only one way to find out.

Reaver rose out of his chair & made his way to the dining room again for lunch; vaguely, he wondered if Alice would be back in time to eat so he could tell her all about the new trip he was about to plan. Back to Samarkand, the bane of Alice's virtue & his greatest weapon against her.

**…_..._...**

Alice tried not to gouge her own eyes out as she stood before the mansion. She rubbed her temples & looked down at the cuffs looped into her waist-corset. Why did she buy these again? It's not like hand cuffs would actually hold a man like Reaver down in any way.

A rustle behind Alice brought her out of her thoughts & she turned to see a hooded woman before her. The red cloak over her face shielded Alice's view of her, & when Alice inched closer, her visitor gracefully stepped back & completely avoided Alice's curiosity. Then, reaching into her pocket, the woman produced a small potion bottle with a dark, inky slime in it. & the slime was moving. Alice's eyes widened & she looked back at the woman who had stepped forward & placed the bottle into her hands & backed up once more.

"Everything you have done up to this point has led up to your real purpose, great hero," the woman spoke in an elderly, but strong voice; it held power in it that Alice couldn't grasp fully. Who was this woman? Grabbing Alice's other hand, the woman placed a seal with an ornate design into it & closed Alice's grasp on it. A strong surge of power coursed through Alice & she fell to the ground, almost breaking the glass bottle in her other hand.

"W-what the hell did you just do?" Alice hissed as she sat up slowly, her hand still tingling after she forced her hand to open & drop the mysterious seal in her grasp. The woman remained silent & backed away slowly into the shadow of the fountain, her feet dematerializing, then her body, then… nothing. But Alice could still hear her voice.

_"The Crawler is regretfully still lurking in the dark shadows of Albion,"_ the woman continued, _"First, you need to travel to Samarkand & retrieve an important artifact that should help you in battle with The Crawler. Reaver, the Hero of Skill seems to be heading that way, so it may help to ask for his assistance."_

"Wait- what?" Alice buried her face into her knees & tried not to lose it. The Crawler wasn't dead, this crazy woman was telling her that she had to go to the hell known as Samarkand, & Reaver was going there… wait, that meant the bastard was skipping town! He was going to run?

**…_..._...**

Reaver heard a loud scream of rage from outside & looked up from his food with mild interest. James quickly looked out of the dining room window & saw Alice outside, destroying the front of Reaver's mansion. She picked up & threw a bench in front of the fountain, crushed several crates, & pretty much looked like a mad woman as she ran up to a chicken & kicked it down the hill in front of Reaver's mansion. It was all the young man could do not to fall over & laugh until tears streamed down his face.

"Master Reaver, Miss Alice is back," James finally said as he backed away from the window, Alice dragging the bench back to its spot & slumping down on it. Reaver continued eating & waved James to the door dismissively, apparently ordering the man to let Alice inside. James nodded & went to fetch Alice, praying to survive it with every step he took.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Nothing like making a fictional character look like a tard to lift your spirits. xD_


	20. Settling Down?

"You're joking, right?" Alice hissed angrily as Reaver reached up, his hands gently enclosing hers. He was smiling like usual, but Alice could see the growing shadows in his stare, the utmost seriousness within his gaze. He wasn't kidding at all. That scared Alice almost into letting him run away; almost.

"What good would me marrying you possibly do for us in Samarkand?" Alice growled as she shoved herself back into her chair, "Besides giving you the thrill of cheating on your spouse, of course." Reaver's demeanor grew a bit more playful at this statement & he leaned in closer, recapturing Alice's unwilling hands & kissing them softly. Alice winced & let out a low growl of warning.

"Alice, my dear," Reaver murmured, "I assure you that cheating on you in that country would be nearly impossible. You see, while the inhabitants of that country are indeed uninhibited, they are only that way in couples. One must be actively married to join in on any fun."

Alice stared at Reaver as if he'd gone absolutely mad, which Reaver replied with a soft laugh & a stealthy movement of his hands that involved in him slipping an engagement ring on her finger. Alice blushed hard as she looked down at it; she was shocked at it, really. Knowing Reaver, she would have never guessed in a million years that the ring he bought her was small & modest; something that _she _would like.

"Reaver,I-"

"It won't be a trouble to you at all, my pet," Reaver interrupted Alice softly, "We need a cover, anyway; a travelling couple on their honeymoon may be the perfect excuse for us to sneak in. I can go off to find my treasure once we are alone, & you can… you can go do whatever it is you need to do." Alice felt a little bad for not telling Reaver about her encounter with Theresa, but she figured that she'd get to it soon enough.

"I have three conditions," Alice announced as she stood, "One, we will elope; none of that fancy crap, got that? & two, when this is over, we will divorce & I will _consider_ not taking you before the king."

"That sounds fair to me," Reaver said with a smirk, "& the third stipulation of our… agreement?" Alice blushed & looked down.

"Well, the third is…"

"Yes?"

"Well, you see…"

"Go on, dear."

"My third condition is that you absolutely cannot cheat on me under any circumstances!" Alice announced, her face bright red now. Reaver smirked & stood along with Alice. She cringed & backed away as the man before her advanced, cursing under her breath as she was cornered against a nearby wall. How did he get the talent to make her so weak?

"That's a tall order," Reaver murmured softly, "More for yourself than I." Alice didn't really comprehend what he meant by that, but she stood resolute, her eyes hard & firm.

"I mean it," Alice grumbled, "No. Cheating." Reaver smiled pleasantly & leaned in, Alice's cheeks grew warm as his breath lightly fluttered over her skin & she breathed in slowly, shutting her eyes as he moved in for a kiss.

"Very well, Alice dear," Reaver suddenly announced. The feel of his lips on hers never happened, & Reaver backed away, leaving Alice feeling a bit robbed; that teasing bastard.

"We shall do this your way, Alice," Reaver continued softly, "But remember this was _your _request." Alice nodded, able to breathe again as Reaver sauntered out of the room, ordering James to go fetch the town priest & request his presence for dinner.

**…_..._...**

"How have you not found her yet?" Hero asked his men, looking back at them in obvious irritation. The kind king kept his anger in check, but his patience was slipping. Every moment Alice spent around that lecherous business man, the more likely he was to have her dead or sold to a brothel for a whore's pension. Or worse, he could be trying to woo her again. With all that had happened in the past year, Alice was liable to cling to her former lover.

After all, Reaver was the only man she'd shared a bed with. Even as they'd grown closer, Alice would never sleep at Hero's side, & of course, her intimacy with him left much to be desired. She'd kissed him, yes, but that was it. It was like she had no passion though, nothing driving her in Hero's direction. No matter what the young king tried, she just seemed to be unwilling to return his affections. The fact that a few minutes with Reaver could destroy all of his progress only angered Hero more. The bastard didn't deserve a girl like Alice, especially knowing that he'd just thrown her to the side.

"Vince, go saddle my horse," Hero finally said as he stood, "Kennith; inform the maids to pack supplies for a 3 day journey. I will personally accompany you on the search for Lady Alice. We must save her from Reaver's clutches at any cost.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_It's a weak chapter, I know, but it's something. I'm gonna start updating asap again. My editor is gone so I'm on my own again. Wish me luck!_


	21. The Name Game

Somehow"Missus' Reavah, th' ship is ready t' go," a rough ship hand called from the loading dock of Reaver's ship. Alice looked up from the two rings that now graced her left hand & nodded, her cheeks a bit red from embarrassment as she grabbed her suitcase & approached the ship. She had every right to look at the rings from her husband, so why was she so self-conscious?

"What's so special bout' tha' lil' twit?"

"Maybe she ain' fat, but she certainly ain't very pretty."

"Just look a' er' men's clothes an' messy air'!""

Oh yeah; _that_ was why she was so self-conscious about her ring. Alice hadn't realized how many people wanted Reaver before he dragged her to the docks that very morning, his guest, the priest, giving the two of them a short procession for all of Bloodstone to see. It was as if the entire world had exploded; people just stared in shock, whispered to themselves, and only a few people came up to Alice to tell her congratulations, & even then, their words sounded lifeless & fake.

Alice shoved her hands into her pockets and looked around for Reaver once more. True to his word, he'd disappeared on the ship already, stating earlier that he wasn't going to seek her until their wedding night. Alice was mortified at the thought, & was already trying to come up with some kind of excuse to throw Reaver off. Maybe she could get sea-sick, or claim to be on her period. Whatever she came up with though, had to be smart & well thought out.

"Missus', lemme take yer' bag," the man offered, snatching Alice's things before she could respond. A man behind her helped her walk onto the ship before the shiphand with her bag led her downstairs off of the main deck. Carefully, he led her all the way down the hall & opened the door opposite of the stairs, leading Alice into what was apparently her & Reaver's room. Alice had to take a moment to absorb the pure lavishness of the room; Reaver had spared no expense making it comfortable and sensual. Shades of red and gold graced the room all over, except for the large, black & silken bed posted under a huge window set that almost covered the entire back wall of the room. Alice made her way to the bed, kicking off her shoes & then crawling to the window.

She could see the docks from here, people getting Reaver's ship ready for sailing, & Reaver himself, saying goodbye to many villagers. Weeping ladies (& some men) crowded him, but Reaver stayed true to his word to Alice & kept his adoring fans at a distance, his wedding band gleaming in the sun. It looked odd on him; not that his adventure clothes weren't more expensive and luxurious than the average traveler, it was just… he didn't look shackled, like she expected him to. If anything, he looked happier than she had ever seen him.

But then, she was probably just building herself up; of course, Reaver could be a talented actor when he needed to be. Alice would never admit it, not even to herself, but she was proud that she could call the coveted Reaver her own, if only for a while. Alice shrugged off her girlish emotions & opened one of the windows, Reaver turning immediately as if she'd yelled for him. He gave her a signature brilliant smile of his & winked at Alice, making the girl blush darkly & slam the window back shut & lay down in the fluffy, soft comforter under her. She had to calm herself now & set boundaries for herself. If she fell in love with Reaver, for _real_ this time, things would end a lot worse than the last. Alice grimaced & slid her calloused hands over her stomach & closed her eyes. Things were certainly bad enough last time.

**…_..._...**

Alice paced back & forth in the bedroom, nervously combing her hair through as she thought of what to do. She was going to do the sea-sickness thing earlier, but as luck would have it, Reaver knew a magician who agreed to place charms on his ship allowing it to steady itself perfectly until they reached current-free water. So the ship swayed nadda, & there was NO way she could even fake being sick. & when she thought further into the whole period thing, that wouldn't work either because her period was next week. Reaver would surely notice if a woman was on the rag for two whole weeks.

"Alice Darling, I'm here!" Reaver's voice called from the other side of the room. Alice blushed darkly & faced the door as Reaver slammed his way into their bedroom, the butler James carrying in food for the both of them when Reaver saw that she wasn't nude. It wasn't the usual luxurious meals that Alice saw Reaver dining on at his home, but of course there was no denying that everything still looked pristine & fresh. James looked up at Alice only once & blushed darkly to see her thin nightgown before he bowed low & exited the room. Reaver's face twisted into something that looked like annoyance & he grabbed a robe from the coat rack, tossing it to Alice before he removed his vest & gloves, untucking his shirt out of his pants rather messily as he plopped down in one of the chairs. In black leather pants, long boots, & a dark crimson dress shirt all covered in dirt from helping the men set the ship to sail, Reaver still looked like a god. A dangerous one, albeit, but a god nonetheless.

Thankfully, Reaver didn't mention sex at all as Alice put on her robe & took the seat next to his on their small sofa, Reaver cutting into the small chicken before them & putting white meat pieces in her plate. How did he know that she only liked white meat? Alice blushed lightly, & despite herself, her eyes glanced to his left hand to see the wedding band still gleaming there. That familiar pride swelled up again & she forced herself to calm down. She was being a giddy fool again, working herself up over something Reaver wore to keep up appearances.

Of course, Reaver was all too aware of Alice's actions as he finished dividing their meal & began to stuff his face. His sweet Alice was still as transparent as ever, & secretly, he was pleased that her first experience with marriage was his for the taking. She was much cuter in private than anyone else could imagine, & he got to have her to himself. Maybe he wouldn't kill her when he got the treasure he sought in Samarkand. & maybe he wouldn't tire of her as fast as he thought. That could be dangerous, but danger was Reaver's favorite pastime.

"Ummm… Reaver?" A soft voice suddenly called, & he looked up as he stuffed his last mouthful of peas into his mouth, dropping his plate onto the table. Alice winced a bit & he smiled at her; she was so easy to make squeamish, even now. The best part is he didn't know if she was worked up over him or his lack of table manners.

"What is it, Love?" Reaver asked, "Want to skip supper & get straight to desert?" Reaver's smirk deepened & he pulled Alice's plate form her, leaning in dangerously close. Alice's eyes widened & she backed up in her spot until her back pressed on the armrest.

"I w-was wondering…" Alice grumbled, "What is… your name? Your birth name, to be exact. I was wondering… Since we're married, & stuff…."

Reaver's eyes widened in shock & he leaned away from Alice just a bit. He looked down at his hands, as if pondering whether he should tell Alice his birth name. After all, he hadn't even said it aloud in so many years… centuries even. Alice almost apologized when a dark look slid into Reaver's eyes for a moment & Reaver stayed silent, still floored. This wasn't good. He couldn't let Alice control him so easily, but what could he do to get out of this & still be Reaver?

After some time, Reaver looked up to his wife who had averted her gaze away nervously. Well, this was different. He wasn't used to her comprehending the damage he could inflict upon her. He did want to tell her his name, he realized. But no one else must know it. If the wrong people discovered who he was in the past…

**…_..._...**

"I'll tell you what, Dear," Reaver announced as he stood, taking Alice's empty plate & pulling her to stand, "We'll make this a game. If you win, you get to scream out my name as you release." Alice blushed darkly & scowled, but Reaver didn't wait on her response before Alice was gathered into his arms & tossed into bed. Reaver moved to cover her but she stopped him, her cheeks burning. Reaver rolled her eyes & was already thinking of what to reply to whenever she came up with some excuse about not wanting to have sex. She would learn quickly that making sure he didn't "cheat" on this union was to keep him occupied herself.

"T-turn the lights off," Alice mumbled softly. Reaver rolled his eyes heavenward but conceded when he realized she wasn't going to let him continue, blowing out their bedside candle before pulling off his shirt & moving over Alice; at least she wasn't trying to deny him. Quickly, he removed her night robe & nightgown with the aid of the moonlight, smiling down at her familiar underwear set before he pulled off his pants & underwear, Alice doing the same so she didn't have to be ogled by Reaver again.

Completely nude, Reaver got his little "game" under way. Patiently, the pirate spelled out his name onto Alice's skin, using his fingers, tongue, & any other means that helped Alice piece together the letters. She seemed to be having difficulty concentrating sometimes.

Eventually, Alice figured out the game & Reaver smirked when she rasped out his birth name weakly, trembling under him. Next, Reaver was pushing hard length into his bride roughly. Alice winced in pain & pleasure as he moved into her, stretching her warmth to accommodate him like she used to. Goodness, how long had it been since a man touched her? She was as tight as the day he took her virginity. It wasn't like she was ugly, & she could have had her pick of paramours. Reaver's mouth began trailing over her neck as he held her arms tighter at the thought of another man touching her. Alice groaned in pain & Reaver pushed back the urge to grow more violent with his lover & relaxed his touch until Alice stopped slapping his violent hands away.

"Say it," Reaver growled slowly, still moving inside Alice as his hands fisted into her hair to hold her in place, "Scream my name in pleasure, Alice. Let the world know who you belong to." Alice panted softly under the man, moaning & writhing under him as her lips mouthed his name. Unsatisfied with the display, Reaver pushed into Alice harder, demanding more of her sweet voice. Alice moaned it louder & still he shook his head, leaning all the way down & clutching Alice closer to him as he shoved into her at a hard strength, making her tremble & get ready to cum.

"Scream my name," Reaver ordered with another growl against Alice's neck, "My dear bride, scream my name." Alice cried out again as Reaver pushed in once more, her eyes watering in pleasure as they came together. Her entire body tensed & she arched up, this time satisfying Reaver's request as her voice echoed in their room.

"_AARON_!"

A sharp thrill and down Reaver's back & he grunted Alice's name in return before he collapsed on top of her. Alice groaned softly & clung to Reaver, feeling him move to his back so that she could cuddle closer to him. Too tired to fight it, Alice did just so, passed out against Reaver in minutes as he stroked her hair. She felt so light in that moment; so free.

Reaver felt like he was shackled down. Though he purposefully had Alice's face tucked under his shoulder, Reaver's face was fierce & wild as he fought not to throw his wife overboard. In their moment of release, that beautiful moment of heaven, he felt like his heart had merged with Alice's. He felt as though she was one with him completely. Her honest reactions to his touch completely sent him over the edge until they both found fulfillment. This woman could capture his heart he then realized, & Reaver would be damned before he let a woman mean more to him than luggage. It seemed that Reaver would have to kill Alice in Samarkand after all.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I personally think Aaron is a sexy name. What about you guys? ;)_


	22. Her Scar

Alice awoke at dawn the next morning when Reaver was prying her off oh him & covering her with the blankets with a gentleness that rather shocked her. She opened her eyes & Reaver smiled, ruffling her hair before he climbed off of the bed stark naked & headed for the closet. Alice closed her eyes at first, totally embarrassed, but realized it was time to row up a little. Maybe it was a fake marriage, but she was married none-the-less. They literally belonged to each other right now. Perching up on her arms, Alice's morning-after glow started to fade when she noticed the serious look on Reaver's face as he dressed for the day.

"What's wrong?" Alice finally asked, forcing herself to be her usual take-no-crap-from-anyone self, "Is the ship having problems? I can help." Reaver looked up as he fastened the cuffs of his shirt & then made his way to the bed. The sound of his boots hitting the wood under their carpet unnerved Alice a bit, but she stayed stiff & didn't let herself back away from Reaver as he sat down on the edge of the bed & lightly pulled on the blanket Alice held against her,but Reaver was able to see the woman's cleavage before she dragged it back up with a scowl.

"Why did you tell me to turn out the lights last night, Alice?" Reaver suddenly asked. His brown eyes were dark & guarded, like he knew something she didn't. Whatever was bothering him, it was making him hostile; thoughtful of Alice, even. Maybe being on the sea turned him back to himself as a pirate king, for Alice had never seen Reaver so… fierce. He certainly looked like a pirate through & through as he gently grasped her left hand with his, studying their wedding rings side by side. Alice blushed & shrugged at Reaver's question.

"I d-don't-"

"Don't lie to me, woman!" Reaver suddenly cut in. His anger receded as he saw the fearful look in Alice's eyes (though she desperately tried to hide it), but it didn't fade completely; she had some answering to do. With a sigh, the pirate stood & pulled on the blankets again, this time sliding in bed next to Alice as he kicked off his boots. Soft thumps of them hitting the floor made Alice jolt as Reaver moved over her in the covers. His expression was softer as his reached down & ran a finger over the ugly scar that ran along the bottom part of Alice's stomach.

"I know what this is, Alice," Reaver murmured softly, "I know what you did." Alice paled, shoving Reaver off as she turned over in bed, away from the pirate.

"You're deluding yourself, pirate."

"Am I, Alice dear?"

Reaver lay behind Alice & pulled her to him again, his arms wrapped around her waist. His hand started sliding down Alice's scar again, confirming its existence once more. Alice felt like it were being stabbed with needles & burned. Slowly, the sounds of the workers above deck seemed to calm Reaver & he pulled from Alice, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

"I want you to rest up in this room for the day," Reaver said as he pulled his boots back on, "The only way you'll get in trouble from this point is if you lie to me. I know, Alice. It's time to come clean & end your little secret." The pirate gently turned Alice to face him & kissed her again, but the action seemed to be more primal than sweet, heavily laced with possessiveness; Alice found herself actually more fearful than aroused. Then, Reaver forced himself not to pounce on his shaken wife & left the room with a harsh slam of the door & a sarcastically cheery "Tatty-bye!"

Alice looked down at her clenched hands & closed her eyes, trying to remain calm. But in moments, tears were flowing down her cheeks & she had to lie back down to calm herself. She'd hoped that this day never came. It was her own fault that Reaver was going to find out the secret she'd kept so hidden. She should have known from the start that he'd figure it out.

**…_..._...**

'_Maybe I'm just being paranoid,'_ Reaver thought to himself as he reached the above deck. His crew was steadily working on their daily chores, no one messing up just yet; a shame, really. His trigger finger was itching so badly it was killing him. Without a word, the pirate captain assumed his position at the helm & the navigators told him how they fit his plans into an efficient trip. Reaver was barely paying attention, his thoughts still wrapped around his cute wife down below & the hideous scar that marred her belly.

'_There's no way I'm wrong about this,'_ Reaver finally concluded to himself as he finally set about work in a more focused manner, _'Even battle scars aren't that precise.'_

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Sorry this chapter was so small, but I should have the next one up by the end of today. I promise not to get too heavy on you guys, I even have a quick comedy break coming up, but get ready to sniffle if you're weak-hearted._

_Reviews would also be awesome, but I understand if a lot of you are still mad about my two-month disappearance. ^^;_


	23. Furniture Fortress

Somehow, Alice forced herself to calm after Reaver left, her scar still tingling unpleasantly as she stood up & moved to the closet to dress herself. The bastard had only stocked the frilliest stuff imaginable, & her work clothes from yesterday were already gone. As much as she was tempted to wear Reaver's clothes instead, she may as well look like a girl while she was stuck in this cabin room alone. Alice selected a soft blue, silken dress & clumsily pulled on her corset, pantaloons, and dress by herself. She thought of what she could do as she pulled her hair into a lazy bun. There was no helping it; she would have to barricade herself in until they reached Samarkand. If she starved to death, oh well.

Quickly, Alice set about her task at hand, first dead-locking the bedroom door before pushing a heavy trunk before the door, her back straining a bit from the effort. Now, Alice knew she was no hero of strength, but since when we moving a trunk such a chore? What the hell did Reaver store in it? She would check later if she had the time, but now, she needed to add something to the fortress of a trunk. Spotting a large, oak desk across the room, Alice moved to put it with the trunk, but the damned thing wouldn't budge no matter how hard she pushed. Well of course; it was nailed to the floor. & so was the dining table, now that she looked around.

"Now why would he do that?" Alice wondered aloud, settling for the chairs instead. She lifted the surprisingly solid & heavy items over the chest & pushed them back on the door & then stepped back, admiring her handiwork. She was being childish, she knew it, but there was no helping that she was in hot water right now, & the last thing she wanted to do was discuss the scar on her stomach. Perhaps, by nightfall, he would agree to back down & she could rest.

"I liked it better the other way."

Alice let out a squeak of shock & spun around, seeing Reaver at his desk, lounging against the edge with his long legs stretched out & locked at the ankles. He was smiling at her, the smug bastard, apparently amused with what he found her doing in their room.

He didn't wait for Alice to ask him how he got inside but pointed up instead, gesturing to a trap-door in the roof. Okay, so that was how he got in, but how did he do it so quietly? "I usually come in through the top," he explained to her with a soft voice, "It's quicker."

Reaver regarded his wife more calmly than when he left her; she didn't look like she could take much more fright. She was much paler than usual & seemed to be unsteady on her feet; there was a good possibility that she would swoon on him if he didn't approach her carefully.

"I believe it's safe to assume that you wanted to change the room around," Reaver murmured. The soothing tone in his voice made Alice want to shriek.

"Y-yes," Alice blurted out clumsily instead, "I prefer it this way much more. More room to move about & such, don't you think?"

Reaver shook his head. "It won't do."

"It won't?"

"You see, dear Alice the trunk & our sitting chairs are actually blocking the doorway," Reaver said as he pulled himself from the desk. His height towered over Alice as he approached her slowly, making her cringe a bit. "Besides, I doubt either of us would be comfortable sitting…up there." Their entire conversation was ridiculous. They both knew why Alice had the door blocked, but Reaver was having far too much fun making his wife squirm to call it quits.

"Ah yes, I think you're right," Alice played right along in an attempt to preserve her pride, "Thank you for pointing that out, it was careless of me not to notice the door right there." Alice paused a moment & then asked Reaver "Why is the desk nailed to the floor?"

"You tried to move that too, Alice?"

Alice ignored the blatant laughter in Reaver's voice & nodded, noting that he stopped advancing on her to compose himself.

"Yes, & the table as well. I thought they would look better positioned against the trunk," Alice mumbled. Reaver began to advance on her again & she made a small circle around the cabin until she'd found that she effectively trapped herself against the table.

"When the ship goes through storms, furniture moves," Reaver explained as he closed in on Alice, "I wouldn't want my cute wife to be harmed by any awry desks & tables, would I?" Alice looked away & shrugged, not knowing how she felt about Reaver blatantly referring to her as his wife. But when his large hands enclosed over her shoulders, her knees buckled & she leaned back against the table for support, in fear or want, she honestly didn't know at this point.

"Alice, just tell me abo-"

"Give me until tonight!" Alice blurted before Reaver finished, feeling his hands squeeze a bit over her shoulders, but not painfully… yet, "I want to come to terms with my fate."

"Fate?" Reaver huffed, "Alice, I'm not going to bloody kill you."

"I don't know that," Alice retorted with anger lacing her voice, "I know very well that the easiest way out of this marriage for you if you ever got tired of me is the 'till death do us part'. I'm not a fool, _Aaron_." Reaver winced a bit at the way Alice spit his name out, & knew it was a bad idea for him to tell her what it was. But he had to give her credit; most women believed his words blindly, clung to his every promise. He'd forgotten Alice was a smart woman.

"Very well," Reaver finally sighed, "Till tonight it is. But no more running, & I want the full truth." Alice nodded solemnly, a bit more than Reaver would have wanted, & the pirate leaned closer, kissing her cheek. She may as well been made of stone with the way she just stood there. Oh well, he'd have to loosen her up later. Reaver gently released Alice & made his way to the door, easily pushing the trunk & chairs out of his way before he unlocked the door & opened it.

"& Alice," Reaver said as he looked back at her, "I wouldn't worry about me growing tired of you." Reaver shut the door softly with that promise still lingering in the air.


	24. Allesandra

Reaver didn't return to the cabin until sometime around sunrise. One of his men had gotten sick during his nightshift, & despite his urge to shoot the man, Reaver sent him from the lookout point to lean over the edge of the _Jewel_ to wretch up the rest of his guts. After the man passed out on deck from throwing up so much, Reaver decided to stay up on the lookout tower for the evening. Surprisingly, it was a good method of clearing his head. & now that he was finally in his room, watching Alice sleep in their bed, he was glad he'd waited. The urge to throttle the sleeping woman had actually passed, & all he wanted to do now was wake her up by climbing between her silken thighs. It was dangerous how she could make him want her without even trying.

Much to his own shock, Reaver resisted that urge & quietly put his furniture back in place before undressing himself for bed. He gave himself a sponge bath & then wiggled his way into bed, arrogantly pleased with the way Alice sighed in her sleep & cuddled against him. If it weren't for the silk nightgown on her body, his control would have snapped, especially when her backside rubbed on his hips. But she wasn't prepared for that behavior, & he was too tired. Reaver fell asleep with his face buried into Alice's neck & his arms wrapped tightly around her. He's interrogate her when he'd gotten a good amount of rest.

**…_..._...**

Alice yawned softly as she awoke, growing rigid when she found herself unable to move. It didn't take her long to notice Reaver, of course, completely wrapped around her & sleeping. It took the young woman a few moments to register what was happening before she sighed & stopped struggling against Reaver's grip; it was obvious that she wasn't going anywhere. As much as she wanted to escape, there was nowhere to go even if she wiggled out of Reaver's firm grasp. No, she'd just have to wait until he opened his eyes again.

Which was killing her. Eventually, Alice did escape, however, only to be dragged back down with Reaver. He opened his eyes & smirked at her, earning a scowl of indignation from Alice. How dare he try to fool her into a false security! Without warning, Reaver, attacked his wife, his mouth slanting over hers in a hungry kiss. It took no time at all for Alice to respond, her inexperience apparent all over again. Reaver smirked & pulled from Alice, thoroughly pleased by her bemused expression. But right now, they had business to get to. Reaver sat up slowly & took Alice with him, his arms wrapped around her as she finally recovered.

"Now, wife," Reaver muttered in her shoulder, "First question. Where is my child?" Alice froze in place. By Avo, the woman looked pitiful at his question. With a sigh, Reaver hauled Alice closer so he wouldn't have to see her crying. He didn't want to have to back down now.

"Let's try easier questions," Reaver offered, "Boy or girl? What did you name the child? & what do they look like?" Reaver heard a shudder as Alice rubbed her eyes, but felt her relax all the same. He smiled a bit & squeezed her closer.

"Girl," Alice mumbled softly, "Her name… Allesandra. She had your eyes & my nose."

"_Had_?" Reaver felt himself grow rigid with Alice, his body acting without consent. She couldn't possibly have meant what she just said. Oh, but she did. Reaver knew the second Alice threw her arms around his neck & let out a loud wail of anguish. She'd lost their baby in childbirth. Allesandra hadn't made it out of her mother's womb before she passed. Reaver felt an unpleasant numbness settle throughout his body as he reached up to awkwardly comfort his sobbing wife. In all his years, no woman had ever given him a child. But then, no other partner had really had sex with him more than once or twice. He either killed them or got bored. It shook the pirate to his core to realize just how special he'd treated Alice. No man or woman should have such a sway on him; that was too dangerous for a man of his sort. But for now, he'd indulge the sobbing girl against him & find a way to calm her. He couldn't exactly get her to help him in Samarkand if she was a massive emotional wreck, now could he?

"N-now do you s-see why I didn't w-want to t-tell you?" Alice hiccupped through her sobs. Reaver rolled his eyes heavenward & continued to pat her back in an awkwardly comforting gesture. Of course he understood. Did she think he was really that slow? Reaver gritted his teeth in the effort not to yell at Alice; she'd probably just cry even harder. Damn it, comforting women was hard to do. No wonder why he'd never bothered before.

"& n-now… you know…."

"Know what?"

"That I'm not fit to be a mother."

Reaver finally allowed Alice to see his exasperation then. What in Avo's name was she bloody going on about now? It was high time he set his wife straight, Reaver thought to himself as he placed his hands on Alice's shoulder's to gain her attention. When that didn't work too effectively, he gently nudged her chin to look up at him. Reaver smiled softly, & it seemed to make Alice relax a bit. It unsettled him to realize how much the smile forming on her lips brought him to ease.

"Why do you think that you're not fit to be a mother, Dear?" Reaver asked his wife softly. Alice looked down & gazed at her hands, wrenching them together now, in an apparent show of nervousness.

"Because God didn't let me keep Allesandra," Alice admitted softly, "He must have known that I couldn't be trusted with something so precious… That I didn't deserve it." Reaver's hands gripped Alice's shoulders now. Hard. How did she somehow make this _her_ fault?

"Alice, Avo didn't punish you by taking away our child," Reaver chided his wife gruffly, "You were a single mother & were fighting that damned Crawler. Besides, I'm pretty sure the Heavens were just so impatient to have our beautiful child that they couldn't even wait for a more timely death." Alice looked up at Reaver as he finished his reasoning, soothing all of her worries away. He didn't seem to be lying, either. It comforted the young woman all the more & she snuggled closer, closing her eyes. Yes, she was ever grateful, & felt free.

Reaver was just the opposite. He'd never tried too hard to console someone before; it was as if Alice had a magical hold to keep him at her side. He didn't know how to react to that, & it was infuriating.

But he was done worrying now that he had his answers from Alice; it was time for sleep. Real sleep. Slowly, Reaver dragged Alice down into his arms & ordered her to nap with him until he woke up. They would continue their discussion later when they were both well rested, & he was more prepared that Alice had both borne & lost his child. He also didn't want to confront the issue of what Alice meant to him right now. It was too frightening. He was not the weak sod known as Aaron anymore, & Avo help him, the woman would be in his control, not the other way around. He'd see to that, & make sure to finish her off in Samarkand.

Alice had no choice but to follow Reaver's lead, fastened back against him as he kissed her cheek & pulled the blankets up. She still shook lightly from her previous episode, but felt immensely better when snuggled against Reaver. For the moment, he was her anchor to sanity, the reason why she wasn't still a sobbing mess. Even if he was just trying to shut her up just now, his words of comfort had helped her more than he could imagine. Damn it all, she was really falling in love with him.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I posted a new fan art on vampire-muffin . deviantart . com_

_It features my favorite scene in chapter 18. 0w0_

_Comments & review welcome! All your encouragement pushes me on, my fans!_


	25. Reaver Uses Will Power

Reaver awoke when Alice rubbed her bottom on him. She was still asleep. Though he was barely aware of what he was doing, that pirate gently pushed Alice on her back, & inched her nightgown up to her neck. He was immensely pleased to see no bra on his slumbering wife & leaned down to awaken her. Her skin felt cold to him, so Reaver decided he would use his hands and his mouth to warm her.

He was already hard and throbbing when Alice finally opened her eyes. His mouth was fastened on her breast, his tongue brushing slowly against her nipple. Reaver then began to suckle when Alice's hands moved into his hair, causing the young woman to moan softly & arch up against his mouth. In the back of her mind, Alice wanted to tell Reaver to leave her alone, but she knew there was no point. & she knew that she wanted him as well.

"Reav-" Alice started to moan, her eyes widening when her husband's large hand raised to cover her lips. The pirate pulled off his wife's panties & leaned up, unbuttoning her nightgown & finally releasing her mouth when he pushed the flimsy garment over her head. It fell to the floor & Reaver leaned down, growling when his hard chest pressed against the softness of Alice's breasts.

"Use my _real_ name when we're alone, my sweet," Reaver growled softly into Alice's neck before he gently bit it. Alice's breath hitched into her throat & she closed her eyes, trying not to moan again as Reaver reached down to pull off his pants, the bothersome garment piling over her nightgown & panties in scant seconds. The feel of his hardness pressing down on the soft curls between her legs was divine. They both moaned at the sweet contact, & it took all of Reaver's control not to shove into his wife. But, he had to hold back, for he was on a mission; after all, he hadn't completely "warmed" her up yet.

Gently grabbing Alice's legs, Reaver pushed her knees over his shoulder & sat up just a bit, pushing the tip of his hardness against Alice's entrance. Alice let out a ragged moan & tried to shove her hips forward & force Reaver inside. Reaver smiled & gently turned his head, lightly kissing Alice's inner right thigh as he ran his hands along her outer thighs. Alice felt as though she were going to catch fire with all of the heat she felt coming from him.

"You're using Will?" Alice suddenly asked, her cheeks burning red from the heat she felt filling up her body. It wasn't all that warm in this room, & Reaver felt unbearably hot when he touched her with his hands. But why did this intense heat feel so good? Her husband smiled & ran his fingers down to her stomach slowly, causing her to contract her stomach muscles.

"It's a trick I learned quite a while back," Reaver finally responded, his hands now rubbing just under her breasts, "Instead of directly using Will fire, I just raise my body temperature a few degrees with a massage. It's like… rubbing all over your body with hot rocks." Alice smiled lightly & closed her eyes. It certainly felt like she was being massaged. All of the tension she had earlier seemed to melt away… until Reaver shoved his length into her.

"Aaron!" Alice cried out weakly, squeezing her eyes shut in pleasure. Avo, the sound of her saying his name made him even more impatient to have her. Reaver had transferred the heat from his hands to his length, & seemed to know exactly what it was doing to Alice, especially when he was so careful with the pushing in the last bit, for the further in he pushed, the more of her sensitive walls he caressed. It was an exquisite mixture of pain & pleasure she felt as Reaver allowed her to adjust to the heat inside her. Alice usually felt warmth when the pirate moved inside her, but now it was like a whole blooming fire had lit up in the pit of her stomach. Alice let out another weak moan when the pain had completely faded & Reaver smiled, pushing her legs off of his shoulders to lean down & kiss her. Alice was shaking under Reaver & couldn't seem to compose herself. He liked that. Her hands slowly slid their way up until her nails found his shoulders & dug in. He liked that more.

"Alice, I'm going to move now," Reaver murmured, resting his forehead on hers as his hands moved under her bottom to push her up against his length. They both hissed when he pushed deeper into her, now fully sheath. & damn if she didn't fit him perfectly. Alice leaned up & kissed Reaver as he set about his duty, rocking his hips hard against hers. It was amazing what she did to him, & this time, when they both found blissful surrender, Reaver wasn't frightened of Alice's hold. He just couldn't when he looked down at her & saw the expression of passion, the dizzy look in her eyes that told him that she hadn't held back a single thing.

"A-aaron…" Alice murmured, shivering just a bit when her husband leaned in to kiss her again. Reaver had to silence her. When she said his name like that, he just wanted to ravage her all over again. He really had the control of a lad with his first whore when it came to Alice. He wasn't sure at all how to take that, either. Reaver eventually moved off of Alice & pulled her onto him, taking her hand & placing it on his chest. He wouldn't say it out loud, but he liked looking at the wedding bands on her finger, the proof that he was his; by Avo, he was developing an obsession over Alice. It was a hard truth to take in. It made him worried to acknowledge that Alice might be one person he couldn't kill. It was like he was slowly turning back into Aaron.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_Yeah, it was a smut chapter. Say what you will, but you know you wanted one after the drama of last installment. I know people are going to be whining over Alice carrying & losing Reaver's baby, but tough. Things can't be all sunshine & happiness in the Reaver family._

_Also, I want people to tell me if they want me to write a prequel story about how Reaver "became" Reaver. I have a feeling that a lot of the stuff he does actually comes from the woman he vaguely mentions in his letters in Fable 2. I have my settings set so ANYONE can review, so please send in your thoughts asap, my lovely readers! _

_:3_


	26. Horomones & Pledges

Hero pulled on his collar a bit nervously as he stood at the docks, scanning the crowds of Bloodstone in an uncharacteristic show of worry. He didn't know a town like this existed in his kingdom; it was unthinkable. Whores littered the corners, peddlers sold stolen wares wherever they damn well pleased, & drunks stumbled through the streets. This place was an utter mess. & it was all that damned Reaver's fault. As soon as he got his hands on the ex-businessman...

"Your majesty, the ship is ready to sail!" a worker called from a small distance. Hero jumped slightly & whirled around to face Vince waiting on the ramp. He looked downright weary from their tireless journey, & even worried. After all, it wasn't even a full hour ago that they learned that Reaver & Alice both married & set sail on their honey moon a few days ago; three to be exact. Hero's men had been able to "persuade" some local men to divulge Reaver's destination, & it wasn't going to be an easy feat. They were headed to Samarkand.

Hero clenched his entire body as he imagined all of the pain & suffering Alice must be feeling. Reaver had supposedly calmed down somewhat as a businessman, but he still remembered horrific tales of betrayal & cruelty from his mother. She'd always warned him that the man known as Reaver had no heart, just an empty chasm where the beating muscle _should_ be. Alice was in danger just being near him, & the bastard had gone as far as to somehow coheirs her into a meaningless, mockery of a marriage.

Hero was going to make Reaver pay dearly for trampling on Alice's heart if it was the last thing he did.

…_..._...

Reaver decided that he didn't like Alice being above deck in less than a day. She was an accident waiting to happen, no matter what she was doing. One moment, she was distracting a worker with her beauty, the next she was trying to fix the mess he made while watching her, & then the next, she was being herded from the _bigger_ mess she'd made during her attempt to help. Reaver had never believed in the whole "women are bad luck on ships" superstition until now.

But the pirate king did have to admit that the moment that she finally collapsed into hopeless tears melted his heart a little. It was adorable how she was so frustrated & couldn't stop accidentally taking down his men one-by-one. But this unlucky business had to stop. Just before lunch Reaver told Alice to go into their room, & she agreed full-heartedly without a fight. She looked unbearably defeated & disheartened as she descended to the living quarters, & Reaver's men looked relieved. She couldn't do that much damage in their room could she?

**…_..._...**

She set his ship on fire.

Not on purpose of course, but in the back of his mind, Reaver turned over the possibility that Alice might be trying to drive him over the edge of mental sanity. Because he was getting there unbearably quickly. The only reason why his hands weren't squeezing down on Alice's neck was because she was wailing in his arms right now as he awkwardly tried to comfort her. Off in the corner of the room, Reaver's men worked quickly to wipe clean the area that a fallen candle had scorched up. It wasn't a big deal, but to Reaver, his ship was like his child. & she caught it on fire.

Dear Avo, were women really this… uncontrollably hormonal? No wonder he usually killed them at the first sign of complaint. He gave Alice a bit of freedom & leeway & now, she was slowly driving him mad with her incessant need to meddle with things. Absentmindedly, Reaver wondered to himself why he'd never noticed Alice's clumsy nature until now. Yes, she'd been unsteady on her feet, but never outright destructive. Perhaps he was being tested by some divine force.

"James, bring Alice & my food down here for lunch," Reaver suggested as he herded his wife toward the bed. James nodded in a rush & ran off to do his master's bidding as Reaver's other men hurried off as well, quietly closing the bedroom door behind them. Good. Reaver's trigger finger itched so bad now it was almost killing him.

"Alice dear, we'll be in Samarkand in less than two days," Reaver announced softly, "You should be fine on dry land, & then all of your bad luck will go away." Wrong words. Alice started crying again & rubbed her wet eyes.

"I-I'm not bad luck!" the woman defended herself, "I-I'm on my monthly. I'm hurting, & sleepy, & gross, & I just want to crawl into a corner & die!" Reaver sighed lightly as the pieces of the day finally placed themselves together. What she said made sense; well, at least she wasn't really cursed. But honestly. So much drama over her period? Women were such confusing creatures.

"Alice, you will be fine," Reaver tried to soothe his wife with a more stern voice. Slowly, he put his gun on the night stand to remove any temptations to kill the woman & dragged her into bed, helping her snuggle at his side. Like this, Alice's sniffling was more tolerable & easy to ignore. Reaver was able to stay like that until James came back & served lunch at the dining table. Reaver then dragged Alice to the table & they sat together to eat.

After James left & Reaver began to eat with Alice, Reaver observed a rather quick turnaround in mood. Goodness, if Alice's mood swings were this bad when she was on her monthly, he hated to even imagine what a terror she was when she was pregnant. Maybe he dodged a bullet there?

Nevertheless, the couple finished lunch & Reaver dragged Alice into bed cuddling her into him until she passed out, the pirate kind murmuring great stories of his past exploits in Samarkand. By the time she'd passed out, Reaver was exhausted himself. Helping Alice calm herself _was_ tiring, but now he felt a bit fulfilled, he felt peaceful. Knowing that Alice was calmed by his presence made him feel both like the strongest man in the world, & the weakest coward.

When had this young woman seduced him so? When did he start to actually give a damn if he was hurting someone with his actions? When did he get to the point that he didn't use his Dragonstomper to take care of every snag in his way? Alice was making him soft & weakminded… & it might be too late for him to harden himself again.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_I AM ALIVE!_  
_That is all. :3_


	27. Her Nightmares

_Author's Note:_

_Wooooo! Classes are done! I can write freely now! 3_

_Oh, & on a side note, I'll go back to daily postings if a few people will start reviewing this story. I'm not gonna lie, the reason why my resolve usually dwindles is because I'm not sure if anyone is really enjoying my story. D:**  
**_

* * *

Reaver wasn't with Alice when she awoke. A quick panic settled in before the woman got ahold of herself & she sighed, letting her head fall back onto the plush pillow under her. Nothing was wrong, she told herself, & let the gentle sway of the ship lull her back into peace. Wait... the ship was swaying? Alice reopened her eyes & sat up, frowning lightly as she realized that the ship was indeed bobbing along as it sailed. Just what was going on? This ship was supposed to be enchanted against that, wasn't it? Something just didn't feel right about a circumstance being out of Reaver's control; he was entirely too ornery to let mother nature have her way with his ship. She'd have to investigate & see what was going on.

Alice groaned & righted herself in bed, clumsily getting to her feet & then stumbling to the closet where she grabbed Reaver's familiar, cream-colored coat & pulled it on over her nightgown. She was shocked that the garment actually had buttons (Reaver had always worn it open) & fastened them for the sake of modesty before she followed the lurching of the ship & made her way to the door. Somehow, the woman fumbled open the latch of the door & stumbled into the hall like a drunk, having to catch herself on the wall & use it for support as she climbed above deck.

As Alice neared the top of the stairs, she could indeed tell that something was very wrong. The wind blew so fiercely that her unruly hair had to be held with one hand, the ship began to lurch more violently, & the unmistakable scent of _blood_ began to surface & thicken like a sick fog. Alice went up the stairs faster to see what was happening, & stopped cold at the top of the stairs when her bare feet landed in blood.

Reaver's crew was decimated. Men hung from the masts, laid impaled against broken hunks of the ship, & some of the unlucky were still alive, writhing in agony as they clung to lost limbs & bloody wounds. & where was Reaver?

"REAVER!" Alice shrieked in a panicked cry. Her voice cracked as she stumbled among all of the crew, her heart tearing when they grabbed onto her nightgown or reached for her. It hurt more to know that she couldn't do anything for any of them; the life was fading from everyone. As quickly as she could, Alice kept searching, making her way to the captain's wheel. As Alice finally dragged herself up to the captain's wheel, Alice almost wretched at the sight of Reaver. He was resting on the ground beside the wheel on his stomach, & whenever the wheel turned violently from the wind changing the ship's course, it rolled down hard & a knob beat into Reaver's back, making him let out a low grunt of pain. Alice realized in shock that he was trying to keep the ship on course towards Samarkand, even as he lay dying. If Alice wasn't so devastated over the state Reaver was in, she would have been touched by his display of ambition.

"R-reaver!" Alice called again in anguish & ran to her husband. The ship lurched around far too much for Alice to keep footing & she ended up colliding into Reaver when she slipped on blood & the movement of the ship moved her towards Reaver. She clung to the man for an anchor when she got to him & locked the wheel in place frantically, dragging him from under it & onto his back. The great Reaver looked utterly defeated. He was beaten, bloodied, & Alice knew it was only a matter of time before he drew his last breath. Not even the shadow council would be able to prevent his death at this stage. With a soft smile, Reaver reached up & placed his hand on Alice's cheek, his lips slightly pursed & inviting for a kiss. Alice's eyes watered & she leaned down into the invitation, knowing she couldn't deny Reaver in this condition.

"A-alice..."

"Aaron..."

It was all Alice could do not to sob as she leaned down & gave the pirate what he wanted. Her trembling lips gently pressed down on his bloodied, cracked lips & she tried not to wince at the pain it gave them both. But the contact was still wanted, & Alice didn't pull from Reaver until a sharp piercing sensation sliced through her body, crippling her ability to even think. Unable to even scream, Alice sucked in copious amounts of air & tried to sit up, seeing a familiar, black ooze coming out of her chest, along with a growing cloud of red on Reaver's coat that was Alice's blood.

Unable to help herself, Alice looked up with tear-streaked cheeks to meet the eyes of the Crawler, who was looking at gleeful and disgusting as ever. He'd trapped her now, somehow completely missing her spine & vital organs as it widened it's slime and began to stretch her wound. Alice looked back down at Reaver, & rested her face on his, letting out the biggest scream she could, feeling the crawler slicing another bar of slime into the back of her head for only an instance before everything went black.

**..._..._...**

"Well, now we know why she wanted to come to Samarkand," James remarked aloud as his master held a vial of sickening, oozing black slime. It didn't take a genius to realize that the slime that had broken out of Alice's cargo & infected the sleeping woman was from the crawler. And from the looks of it, Reaver was plenty pissed that the whole situation happened. As James watched him, he saw the anger in his eyes, the effort it took him not to crush the tube of slime, & the long scratches on his cheek given to him by his wife, who went into a terrifying man hunt not even an hour ago.

She'd awoken with a start around 3 am & tore from below deck in a fiery rage. Alice began attacking several of Reaver's men, severely wounding 4 with her rapier before Reaver came out & shot a single hole into the blade, severing it in half. Alice immediately tossed the now useless weapon & went after her husband with her hands, claws bared & ready to gouge his eyes out. Instantly, Reaver spotted the complete shadows where her eyes should have been, tipping the pirate off that Alice wasn't in control of her own actions, & for the first time since he'd been employed, James actually saw Reaver drop his precious gun to handle something with his bare hands.

The pirate captain tossed his Dragon Stomper to the ground, & after receiving a couple of scratches all over his body, he managed to subdue Alice's arms & use his willpower to infuse her with the Will power of light. Alice immediately lurched forward as he body glowed with the power & rather unattractively threw up her supper and the black slime into Reaver's stomach. She hit the ground as he grabbed onto the slime. He called for the cook to find a container to put & the portly man came back in minutes, producing an empty garlic jar before Reaver stuffed the slime into it, & sealed the cork down tight. It writhed in it's new confines as Reaver thrust the tube into James' hand & retrieved his fainted wife without a word.

Usually, the men would gossip about Reaver's shocking attitude & care for Alice, but this time, no one even dared. Her break-down was too sudden, too violent. & the violent, possessive way that Reaver reclaimed his wife from the crawler showed that he was in no mood for gossip.

"James, have this secured carefully in my office," Reaver suddenly ordered, bringing James out of his wonderings. The pirate stood & tossed the tube at the young man, not even announcing his intent before he moved over Alice & ripped off his bile-covered shirt & then starting to rip Alice's dirty nightgown open to remove it from her as well. James saw his master slamming open the window to throw out the dirty garments before he gently shut the bedroom door & went off to secure the crawler's slime.

**..._..._...**

Reaver didn't allow himself to relax until Alice began to awaken, groaning as she rubbed her eyes shakily & then opened them. He'd never been so happy to see her exotic blue & green eyes before so much in his life. Reaver collapsed onto the bed & smothered his wife with kisses all over her face as she tried to regain consciousness. Alice was utterly confused & sore. She felt utterly sick, & for some reason, Reaver was in the cabin with her even though bright sunlight shone through the curtains.

"Reaver... Reaver, w-wait..." Alice tried to speak out, "W-wait, why are you-?"

"Why didn't you tell me that the crawler was still alive?" Reaver suddenly asked. Alice's eyes widened before her face shifted to guilt & she looked away. Reaver stayed quiet, waiting for his answer as his hands rubbed over her skin as Alice began to process her dream & what it could mean. Was the crawler using fear against her again, or did she experience an omen telling her not to let Reaver get involved in her hunt?

Eventually, Alice worked up a little nerve & sat up, trying to block her dream out of her head until Reaver reached around her again & dragged her down against him, his arms holding her against him tightly. Alice couldn't even struggle against Reaver properly before she began to cry & clung to him. Reaver frowned lightly & continued to hold his wife, as she told him of her dream. He wasn't shocked that the main focus seemed to be about him dying, but he was shocked about the flurry of emotions that Alice let out. She was sad, worried, & even angry at the crawler now, & her nails were lightly digging into Reaver's back as Alice finished her recounting of the story.

Reaver used Alice's moment of weakness to question her about the sample she had in her things & took in the information she gave him about Theresa from Bloodstone, as well as the guild seal she apparently had now, which was packed away in her things. Reaver was a bit shocked that she'd gotten the sample & the seal around him, & made a mental note to chastise his men for being so lax with their security. This should have never happened, & it wouldn't have if everyone was more careful.

"Alice, don't you dare hide anything else from me," Reaver ordered his wife gruffly as his arms snaked around to pull her closer, "Is there anything else I need to know?"

"Well..."

"Well?"

"Wasn't exactly ordered to arrest you," Alice mumbled.

"Hell."

"Oh, shut up!" Alice snapped, "Can you blame me for wanting your head after all of those things you did to not only me, but Hero & the kingdom?" Reaver rolled his eyes & hugged Alice closer, glad that she seemed to be recovering from her bad dream now, even if it meant that she was back to her snippy, irritable self. Hopefully this would last.


	28. Disembarkment

_Author's Note:_

_Not gonna lie, this is pretty much a filler chapter so I can skip ahead to cool stuff. But please bear with me & leave reviews, guys! :D_

* * *

Finally, Reaver's sea-bound nightmare was over, & the ship landed on the beautiful shores of Samarkand. The ocean-side capital of Nahru was just as lavish & beautiful as he remembered, a place where even the commoners dressed in the finest orient silks known to Albion. Before Alice could even adjust to her surroundings in the new country, she was dragged off of Reaver's ship & into the markets to acquire new clothing. He took her to an old friend on the outskirts of town where they were greeted graciously.

"I just knew that I would be seeing you again," an old woman said cheerfully as she entered the main room of the dress shop that Reaver had just pulled Alice into. Reaver smiled graciously at the old, oriental woman & gave a long bow that Alice had to keep from snorting over. Since when was Reaver capable of being polite?

"Dearest Yago-Nim, I come for business today," Reaver announced with a smile, "You see, my new wife & I are here for a honeymoon of sorts, & the poor dear needs clothes for day wear & night parties, if you catch mt drift." Reaver winked at the suggestion of "night parties" & Yago let out a hearty laugh before nodding & gently pulling Alice in to on of the dressing rooms. Before Alice could protest, she was stripped in the dressing rooms & her bust was wrapped in cloth until it flattened considerably.

Since Reaver wasn't allowed to watch the ladies fuss over Alice & see her outfits until she was ready, he announced that he was going to fetch his own clothes & abandoned Alice with a cheery "Tatty bye!" Under his breath, he chuckled when Alice yelled at him angrily to not leave. Oh how she amused him so.

**..._..._...**

"So, hos did you get that rascal pirate to settle down?" Alice was asked by the old woman as she was fitted for her last outfit. Alice blushed almost as red as the silk hanfu she was being dressed into & sighed lightly. Of course, she couldn't explain to the old woman what was really going on. If she did, her cover would be blown completely.

"I'm not entirely sure," Alice finally answered as her sash was tied, "He actually asked me to marry. I was so shocked that I didn't believe him at all at first." There, she'd partly told the truth. The old woman gave her a knowing smile after she finished talking & moved behind her. Within a few moments, Alice could feel a comb being run through her long hair.

"Well, in any case," the old woman said, "I wish the two of you all happiness. I've never seen much a smitten couple." Alice rolled her eyes as she blushed again. Yago must be pulling her leg; it was absurd to think that Reaver knew what smitten even was.

"Ah, what a sight to behold," the devil being spoken of said aloud, gaining the women's attention, "Alice you are radiant. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were a native here. Yago-Nim, you are truly the best fashion consultant in all of Samarkand." Yago smiled & gently pushed Alice forward until she stood before Reaver & she gently joined their hands.

"She certainly does have almond eyes," Yago said aloud, "But her posture is atrocious. The two of you must work on that." Reaver's eyes twinkled mischeviously as he nodded & Alice regarded him with a wary stare as Reaver placed an arm around her back & pulled her close. Now with things settled, Reaver paid the old woman & whisked Alice from the store, his arm wrapped possessively enough for Alice to feel subconscious again. Why did Reaver have to flaunt her so much?

"W-where are we going, Reaver?" Alice asked as the two approached a small carriage pulled by a young Samarkanian man on a bike. Reaver grabbed Alice by the waist & hefted her into the carriage before giving her back her will gloves & gun. Dismissively, his men were ordered to bring the rest of her clothes to the ship before he climbed into the carriage with Alice & ordered the carriage boy to take off to the castle. Alice stiffened & tried not to worry too much.

"Are you business partners with this king as well?"Alice asked Reaver with a scowl as she looked out into the crowds & shops they passed. Reaver smirked & gently tucked her gloves into her sash & pulled up her skirt carefully to tie the gun holster around her thigh, taking great care not to show off her exposed skin.

"Yes, Alice dear, as a matter of a fact, I am," Reaver finally announced as beautiful, Chinese-looking gardens began to come into view, "The king & I are on more personal levels as well, you see, &-"

"I don't want to know," Alice said abruptly with a hot stare. Reaver laughed & gently kissed her hand, enjoying the way she turned pink & shied from him just a bit.

"As you wish, my dear. Just try to keep in mind the uninhibited people I told you of before. They are as real as I am, & you are always so tempting." Alice scowled again & looked away from Reaver as their carriage came to a stop at the entrance of the palace gates. it took Reaver only a short few minutes to gain clearance into the castle & Alice took a deep breath, preparing herself for meeting the king of Samarkand, wondering if the man was friend or foe.


	29. Guests of Honor

_Author's Note:_

_Let's see if I can develop better writing habits, guys. My brain seems to be better off since I'm on my summer break. Anyways, please enjoy this chapter after my pathetic hiatus._

_& as a note, a hanfu is a traditional Chinese style of dress worn by nobles. Didn't want to be confusing too many people. xD_

* * *

Alice didn't like the vibe of the Samarkand palace one bit from the very moment she & Reaver were inside its walls. It was too quiet inside, too peaceful, like everyone was . All of the court people walked about, making polite conversation & giving Reaver low, graceful bows as they passed by. It was odd to see people respecting him. By this point, she was used to people chasing him off with pitchforks, or cowering in his wake.

"What did you do to these people?" Alice asked Reaver in an annoyed huff as they walked through the lavish oriental halls of the palace, "Certainly these people don't think that you're some kind of saint." Reaver gave Alice a smug grin & hooked his arm with hers, drawing her closer to him as he kept going.

"You wound me, my dear," Reaver said in a mocked hurt tone, "Really, I don't hurt _that_ many people." Alice rolled her eyes & turned her gaze out to the windows just to the right of her as she & Reaver continued on in the corridors. To herself, she began to wonder just how long she & Reaver would have to walk before they got to their destination.

All too soon after Alice had the impatient thought, Reaver came to a halt in front of a set of large, ornate doors before them, almost tripping her in the process. She looked over it in quiet interest before two guards appeared beside the doors & opened them wide to show a lavish throne room.

Alice couldn't help but compare the room to the countries of her old home world, just trying to figure out what exactly this place was like. The silks hanging from the wall were Chinese, the tatami mat floor was Japanese, & the skimpy slave outfits that the servant women around the throne of pillows were wearing was certainly something that resembled Arabic clothing. Just what kind of place was Samarkand, Alice wondered to herself warily, looking around to find some kind of sign that the king was there.

"Ah, Reaver!" Alice suddenly heard from behind, being turned around with Reaver to see one of the most sickeningly handsome men she'd ever seen in her life. He was a toned Asian man with striking blue eyes & raven hair that tousled to about the, & a long ponytail that draped over his shoulder only to hang down to his waist. His clothing looked more Chinese, like Reaver's & herself, & damn it if they didn't suit him completely.

"It has been too long, my friend," the young man said softly before his blue eyes shifted over to look at Alice with a warm smile. An uncomfortable chill ran down Alice's back as she forced herself to smile back.

"Ah, where are my manners," Reaver said with a smile, "Alice dear, this is the honorable Emperor Lin Sheng; Emperor Sheng, this is my new wife Alice Reaver. I do hope the two of you get along in the near future." Sheng gave Reaver a slightly curious glance before coming closer to Alice & grasping her hand in his. In one fluid motion, the man bent down to bow to Alice & gave her hand a gentle kiss to the palm. Alice grew red & Reaver let out a small chuckle when she jerked her hand back by instinct.

"U-umm!" Alice squeaked before clutching her hand to her chest & grew redder. Reaver would be the bastard who made fun of her for being embarrassed.

"Please forgive the dear flower," Reaver apologized, "She was raised in the stuffy confines of Bowerstone. I'm afraid her sensual side is rather locked away… for now." Alice gave Reaver an indignant glare as the emperor let out a low laugh, apparently not bothered in the slightest that Alice had denied his advances. After all, all of the servant women in the room looked all too willing to take her place with the way they stared at Sheng in awe. It was terrifying now that she thought about it. Why did these women fawn over one man so much? Was it because he was a king, or something more personal?

"Please, come with me," Sheng announced, pulling Alice from her personal thoughts. One of the slave girls jumped down from the pillow throne & walked along with the prince as Reaver pulled her alongside him as the emperor led them back down the corridors to a hall filled with wooden, sliding doors.

"Please choose a room," Sheng said as he stepped to the side, "I insist. My honored guests only deserve the best." Reaver gave Sheng a short bow before pulling Alice to one of the rooms & pulling her to one of the closest rooms before going inside with her. Sheng followed them & stayed at the door as the maid with him went inside & went to another room. Moments later, the sound of running water could be hurt.

"My servant Leera will see to it that the two of you get a satisfactory bath before dinner tonight," Sheng said as the girl came out of the room, holding fluffy towels in her arms.

"Leera, see to it that our guests have an enjoyable time before the meal."

"Of course, Emperor Sheng."

After another short bow, Lin Sheng gave Alice a smile & took his leave. Alice was glad that he was finally gone & relaxed a bit. That is, she relaxed until Reaver grabbed her arm & began to drag her to the room with the running water. It was a beautiful bathing room with a large in ground pool of steaming water and lavish-smelling bars of soap all around it. When Alice looked behind herself, she was more than shocked to see that Leera placed the towels she had on a table & began to strip.

"W-what are you doing?" Alice squeaked. Reaver came beside her & grabbed her will gloves before he started pulling on her sash. Alice also noted that he was shirtless.

"Calm yourself, dear," Reaver said in a teasing voice, "It's custom here that Leera get in the bath with us & physically help us bathe."

"Well, I can bathe myself just fine," Alice snapped in annoyance. Reaver ignored her comment & finished undressing her, despite the fact that she kept trying to slap away his hands. With an annoyed glare, Alice climbed into the hot pool & sunk down to her breasts in the steaming water as Reaver began to undress himself & Leera climbed in.

"Please, don't be ashamed, Lady Alice," Leera said with a smile, "Your body is very beautiful & you should be proud of it. Here in Samarkand, we try our best to appreciate the body & show off its beauty." Alice stayed quiet & tried not to make a biting comment about how Reaver obviously fit in too well in Samarkand. It wouldn't help her much to be rude, anyway.

"Take it all in stride, dear girl," Reaver said as he grabbed Alice around the waist from behind & kissed the top of her head. Alice slapped him away in annoyance & went over to the soaps, where Leera was busy choosing a small bottle that smelled of flowers.

"Let's get started, why don't we," Leera said with a wide smile. Alice blushed lightly, deciding that she was getting a little nervous about her bath now.

**..._..._...**

"I can't believe you did that!" Alice yelled angrily at Reaver as he followed her into the bedroom. Reaver simply smiled & followed after her, apparently unhurt by her comments. Instead, he went over to the bed with Leera so she could help him dress.

"Reaver, why didn't you tell me that the people here fricken… t-they… that they shave down there?" Alice yelled again, "You didn't even warn me!"

"Dear, you wouldn't have come to the palace with me if I'd told you," Reaver told Alice as he pulled on a long silk dressing robe.

"Damn right, I wouldn't have!" Alice hissed, "Why people feel the need to get rid of that hair is far beyond me." Reaver smirked openly as Alice stalked to the other side of the bed & began to struggle with dressing herself. After giving Leera a short nod, the maid went over to the flustered young woman & helped her dress in a beautiful, lavender hanfu.

After she was dressed & her hair was pulled into a graceful oriental bun, Alice began to pray to herself that tonight wouldn't end up being a disaster, even though 99% of her entire being was telling her that it would.

**..._..._...**

"Leera, come to me," a soft voice called the servant girl walking along the corridor. Before she could respond, however, Leera was grabbed roughly by the arm & shoved into one of the rooms, her body pressed roughly against a wall. Leera let out an excited sigh & felt the person push their body closer to her & kiss her cheek lightly.

"Did you find out what I told you to?" the voice asked in a soft purr. Leera nodded & let out a shameless moan when her breast was grabbed roughly as a reward for her good work.

"Reaver & the lady…" Leera mumbled softly, "They are truly married. They had papers in their luggage & both wear a simple gold band on their left hand. The girl is fiery in temper, but Master Reaver seems to be put-on by this behavior." Leera let out another moan as her other breast as grasped & the person tossed her down on the guest room's bed & her flimsy Arab servant outfit was quickly torn from her body.

"That's a good girl, Leera," Lin Sheng said as he began to undress as well.

Of course Leera had done exactly what he wanted he knew how to make any woman submit, even the fiery type like Alice. & he knew that Alice would be a fun conquest… which was why he wanted her. The type like Leera, who was all too willingly submitting her body to him now, was growing tiresome & boring. He wanted the challenge of breaking in someone, of making them truly bow down. All he would have to do now was to convince Reaver to sell the girl to him. & he already had a plan for that set in motion.

Sheng pushed himself into his servant & quickly set about satisfying her before he finished himself, kissing her forehead & pulling out. Leera stayed still under him as he redressed above her, knowing his skill as a lover was too much for the likes of her now. She succumbed too willingly now; there was no chase at all. Hopefully, Alice would truly prove to be a fun diversion. She would indeed liven up his life & wipe out the boredom that seemed to be haunting him recently.


	30. I Will Possess You

_Author's Note:_

_Next chapter will have smut. Scout's honor. xD_

* * *

Alice found out that she was right all along about her worries that the party would be a disaster. Well, to be precise, the party was a disaster for her. Everyone else seemed to be having the time of their lives, enjoying the food set on a low, near-floor feast table, accompanied with alcohol, dancing girls scantily clad in silk, & harem maidens all to eager to fling themselves on both men & women.

Of course, Reaver was thoroughly enjoying himself, dining with the natives as if he'd lived in Samarkand his entire life. It almost unnerved Alice to see him so easily amused, especially when he was supposed to be her husband. Didn't the man even understand the word "vow"? Of course not; all he knew at the moment was that pretty girls were fawning over him & wanted to join him in bed.

Alice's patience grew thin within a short a few short hours into the party & before she knew it, she'd found an excuse to escape outside on the balcony. Reaver watched his wife leave with a quiet interest until a familiar scent tickled his nose & a young woman hurried to his side, taking Alice's place. A grin crossed Reaver's features, but he never wanted to bolt more in his entire life.

"Lady Aieka," Reaver addressed the woman with a smile. The girl, obviously flattered that Reaver remembered her moved closer still, placing her hand on his as she stared at him through her long lashes. The woman was pretty, yes, but Reaver had bedded her only once & she'd clung to him like a leech ever since. & she wasn't even cute about it, not like his Alice. The pitiable woman forced her way into Reaver's attention constantly, starving him for much needed freedom. It was entirely stifling. But he supposed she couldn't help it, to a certain degree. Being a distant cousin of Emperor Sheng, she'd lived a privileged life & lacked nothing she wanted.

"It is good to see that you have returned, Master Reaver" Aieka purred, "I have missed you terribly." Reaver smiled at her again & took a long drink from his sake to keep himself in check. Of course Aieka had missed him; & he should have anticipated her appearance better.

"I suppose the girl you are with is some ploy to make me jealous," Aieka said smugly as she leaned in closer, "Or am I to believe that she means something to you?" Reaver felt a familiar annoyance run through his spine & did his best not to grasp his gun that laid on the ground beside him. Of course he would never tell Aieka that Alice meant anything to him. It was the quickest way to get his pretty wife's throat slit in the night.

"The girl is a matter of convenience," Reaver said easily, ignoring the prying hand of Aieka's that slowly ran over his arm slowly, "Being an unwed man in this country is entirely too taxing. I figured that bringing Alice along would get me into a few of the more classy parties as well." Aieka let out one of her short, well-rehearsed laughs & flipped out an ornate fan that made her hair flow ever so slightly from small puffs of wind.

"If you do not mind..." Reaver said in a low voice, "I must go find my wife now. I'm afraid the festivities may be too much for the meek type such as herself." Aieka's smile darkened with jealousy, & it was all Reaver could do not to laugh at her pitiful expression as he quite visibly grabbed his Dragonstomper & secured it on his sash before he escaped her presence & went out to the balcony to find where Alice was hiding.

**..._..._...**

Outside, Alice sat on a bench before the koi pond, rubbing her temples in an attempt to push back her stress headache. Being married to Reaver seemed like a huge mistake at this point, & she felt more inadequate at being his wife than anything else she'd had to deal with in her life. He was so social & graceful, & she... just wasn't. It was so obvious with the way he was so openly amused by her actions & reactions at the party. She just didn't fit in with such festive & free people.

"Ah, there you are," Reaver called, ending Alice's reverie. She looked up at the pirate as he approached, sitting beside her on the bench & rather forcefully pulling her into his arms. Alice's face went into a full flush, & cringed slightly when Reaver lifted her chin to force her to look at him.

"You have jealous competition," Reaver told Alice in a voice full of conspiracy, "One of my previous bed mates came to speak with me; she's under the assumption that I keep you around just to make her jealous." Alice scowled at Reaver & jerked her chin from his hand before he could press his lips to hers. She didn't want him to toy with her right now, not while she was so annoyed from this evening.

"Isn't that what you're doing?"she huffed, "While I go off & believe what I want, you use me to make yourself more irresistible to women." Reaver's expression grew dark & he forced Alice to look at him again, the look of pure possession in his gaze making her shrink away.

"The reason I married you is to keep you from another man's bed," Reaver said in a low voice, "You're far too alluring for your own good, my little minx. Not to mention the fact that you aren't all too brilliant when it comes to avoiding a con."

"So you're jealous of other men," Alice said flatly, challenging Reaver's ego with her own.

"How could I not be, you impossible woman?" Reaver asked, his attitude suddenly sour, "No matter how much I charm you & have my way with you, it isn't enough to satiate me. If that weren't enough of a hassle, you cling to me so adorably when I make love to you." Reaver suddenly stopped his outburst, Alice left winded in his wake. What was with him right now? He acted like he could possibly be affected by her more than physically.

But before Alice could process the odd transgression, Reaver gave her a smug grin & leaned in before she could react, his lips crashing down on hers. Alice let out a pathetic whimper & tried to free herself, but Reaver would have none of it & tucked her securely in his arms & continued to assault her mouth with his, not satisfied with their closeness until she was pressed flush against him.

Alice could only fight Reaver for so long before she softened to his will & kissed him back. Only then did he let up & kiss her more gently, rewarding her for her cooperation. His hands continued to hold her still & he rubbed a hand down her back slowly to coax her further.

"Let us adjourn to our room, my dear wife," Reaver said. There was no room for discussion in his words, & he stood swiftly, taking her into his arms & carrying her back to the palace so he could seduce her in their bed. At a time like this, he'd usually find a concubine to relieve him & leave Alice be so he could sort out his own thoughts, but she was just so vulnerable now, so soft & willing. He'd have to think about this unhealthy obsession he was forming for her some other time. When he wasn't getting himself lost in her warmth, that is.

**..._..._...**

Aieka glared angrily at the sight of Reaver wooing his wife & taking her back inside, completely blinded by rage & jealousy. Alice was a convenience her ass. He had practically fawned over her just now. The simpleton of a girl would pay for taking away her precious pirate from her.

"Painful to watch from afar, isn't it?" a low voice called from behind Aieka. She turned to see Lin Sheng, smiling all too smugly at her.

"What do you want, dear cousin?" Aieka growled in a low voice.

"What you want... in a way," Lin responded, "You want Master Reaver, & I want that cute wife of his. Maybe we can work together to acquire our respective lovers?" Aieka quirked an eyebrow, obviously not too trusting of her cousin's words.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked anyway. No harm in hearing him out, right? Lin smiled & draped an arm over his cousin's shoulder, leading her deeper into his gardens so they could speak in private. Getting his hands on Alice would be much easier than he anticipated. In no time, she would be lying soft & willing in his bed, being forced to bend to his will.


	31. Morning Exercise

_Author's Note:_

_Bam. That only took… 5 months. Oops. Long live summer? I guess I have a good reason this time; I went to the UK & Ireland for a school trip.~ Anywhale, tell me what you think, guys. It's so good to be back!_

* * *

Reaver watched Alice as she slept for many hours the next morning, still trying to wrap his head around the situation he was in. He was scared of Alice; hell, he was terrified of her. Last night was the most undisciplined, addictive night he'd experienced, & he'd only had the one partner. Of course he knew that Alice was a force to be reckoned with, but Reaver found himself slowly molding to her, & no longer desiring other people as he once had. Yes, he still found them attractive & alluring, but whereas he would have taken several partners to his bed in the past, the idea of bringing an orgy into the same bed as Alice horrified him. Having to share his warrior princess with anyone else was completely out of the question; no one was allowed to taint her.

Smiling wistfully, Reaver reached down & gently pushed a lock of Alice's hair from her face as the amusing thought crossed his mind that if anyone were to dirty Alice, it would most certainly be him. & yet, he still didn't want others too close to her. He didn't want anyone else to see her naked & writhing in agonizing pleasure. That was for only him to enjoy. This addiction, this- _obsession_ was slowly taking over him. & honestly, he didn't have the confidence that he could break free any longer.

Alice let out a soft groan & opened her eyes, looking up at Reaver dizzily. He smirked as he watched her piece together their passionate love-making from the night before, & reveled in the transparent look of embarrassment on her face as it turned a dark pink. With a smirk, the Hero of Skill leaned over his wife & pulled her face into his hands before planting a soft kiss on her lips. Alice let out a gentle sigh & accepted the kiss a lot more willingly than the evening before, her body arching up just a little into Reaver's.

"Was last night not enough for you, my little minx?" Reaver teased Alice as they parted. He pulled her knuckles to his hand & gingerly kissed them as he waited for his wife to do her usual display of half-hearted attempts to blame him for her dirty behavior.

"No."

It was a simple answer, shocking Reaver as much at it thrilled him. Well now, it seemed Alice was becoming more bold as time passed, & he couldn't ask for a better gift from Avo himself. Taking advantage of his cute wife's honesty, Reaver gently pulled her into a sitting position & kissed her again, his mouth pressing on her full, supple lips. His hands busied themselves with reaching up & touching her smooth, bare skin. It was heavenly.

"Dear Avo, Alice," Reaver groaned, "You make me feel as though married sex is a greater sin than many of my parties." Alice scowled at Reaver for his euphemism, apparently not as amused by it as him & pouted when he laughed a bit at her reaction & quickly leaned down to kiss her. After his amusement subsided, Reaver rolled onto his back with Alice wrapped in his arms, and her knees instinctively fell apart to straddle his hips. Her silky thighs rested over his, spread so that they could rest nestled against each other. She let out a soft moan as Reaver's length hardened between them, breaking the kiss in a small amount of time & breathing shakily.

She wanted Reaver. Now.

Lightly nibbling on her lower lip, Alice sat up over Reaver & adjusted her hips while gently holding his hands in hers, their fingers intertwined. The feel of his hard member pressing lightly on her entrance was intoxicating, & it was all Reaver could do not to lose his patience & take Alice right there, hard & ruthlessly. But this position brought up so many other possibilities.

"Alice, my flower, I want you to take the lead," Reaver gently encouraged his wife, "Love me. I want you loving me with all that you have." Alice was startled by Reaver's words, but figured he only meant that he want her to 'make love' with him. For him, this was only passion. Usually, that would bother her, but in the heat of the moment was too much for her to dwell.

Reaver watched Alice with that sultry stare that he knew made her melt inside before he rubbed his hands down her smooth back & cupped her round bottom in his hands. Alice released a gently sigh & he pulled lightly on Alice's knees until her folds lightly settled over his hard arousal.

"I d-don't know what to do," Alice grumbled. Reaver smiled at his troubled wife & reached his hands up, holding her face gently between them as he forced her to look him in the eyes.

"Of course you do," Reaver assured her as he lightly squeezed her hands with his to reassure the poor girl, "Just take your time, dear. You can do this, just take your time & enjoy our bodies together." Alice nodded a bit shakily & groaned lightly when she felt the tip of his member lightly rubbing on her.

Alice placed her palms against Reaver's chest & pushed herself up, looking down at him. His face contorted into a look of pleasure & torture as she moved her entrance to the tip of his hot member, as though allowing Alice to take the lead was driving him insane. His fingers sank into her hips almost painfully, but he did not direct her or force her to take any action. He always did remain true to his word. The acknowledgement of this fact sent a feeling or raw power into Alice's gut. Reaver was truly at her mercy in this moment. She could see in his eyes how badly her wanted to move; they darkened with his lust as he let out a soft, primal growl, still waiting on her to take action.

Biting her lower lip, Alice slowly allowed herself to slide down Reaver's member, unable to hold back a soft cry. Her sheath was so hot & sensitive, she almost came just from sliding down to Reaver's hilt. Letting out another soft whimper, Alice felt Reaver's control finally snap as his grip on her hips tightened, holding her hips in place as he began to thrust up into her. Tears welled up into her eyes as the pirate moved rough & slow, making her ache more with every thrust.

"A-aaron!" Alice moaned as her arms gave away. She rested her cheek on his chest as he chuckled, still moving inside her just enough to drive her crazy. Reaver ran his fingers along her back, lifting her chin so he could look her in the eyes while she was in the throes of passion. Alice, like always, did not disappoint. Her face was flush, & her eyes were dewy & wet; she was the picture of passion & lust, & it only made him want her more.

"I have such a cute wife," Reaver mused, gently rolling Alice onto her back. He kissed her softly before she could huff at him for teasing her, his tongue slowly rubbing on hers. Alice let out a groan against his mouth, squeezing her eyes shut as she fought the urge to cum. Reaver felt the girl spasm against him & smiled. He buried his face into her neck & lightly bit it.

"Let go, Alice," Reaver purred into Alice's neck, "I'm right here to catch you." Alice resisted her orgasm for only a bit longer before she finally did as Reaver instructed & let go, cumming & crying out. Dear God, everything was going fuzzy. She almost lost consciousness when Reaver didn't stop moving, but instead gently held her in place & continued to make love to her. Reaver gained his own pleasure by watching Alice's face as it formed into a vision of agonizing pleasure. He moved hard & fast, gritting his teeth when he reached his own orgasm & spilled is seed inside Alice. He let out a low growl & laid down on her, his arms wrapping under her as he pressed his lips to her forehead & allowed her to come down from her high.

"Oh Alice, I adore you," Reaver mumbled huskily. He flipped onto his back & dragged Alice with him, pulling one of the thin sheets over them. A bit of a nap was in order after all of that morning exercise. Alice, on the other hand, was dealing with a racing mind now. Reaver had told her that he adored her. Did that mean he could possibly be on the road to at least liking her in a romantic way? She didn't want to be filled with false hope, but what else could she do but have that hope? She already knew that she was hopelessly in love with him, despite her wishes.

"Aaron?" Alice called lightly. Reaver felt himself grow more alert almost immediately, enjoying the sound of her calling his name. It was so heavenly to just hear her say it. Not that he would admit that, of course.

"Yes, Alice dear?" Reaver responded. Alice leaned up on her elbows & looked down at him, obviously in a bit of distress. In an attempt to soothe the girl, Reaver reached up to gently run his fingers through her hair. Alice's cheeks immediately turned a lovely shade of pink, making him smile. How did a woman he had sex with several times still maintain such an adorably shy nature? It tickled him so much.

"When will we get started on that trip?" Alice asked, destroying Reaver's reverie. He sighed & patted her head before dragging her back down into his embrace.

"We can get started on that tomorrow," Reaver finally answered. Alice held in a giggle, amused by Reaver's obvious discontent. She wondered how long Reaver would have tried to keep her here in this palace if she had never said anything.

"You promise?"

"I promise."


	32. Mistake

_Author's Note:_

_Well, I finally have the rest of this story plotted out; it only took me FOREVER. I'm really sorry for the long wait you guys; I'll try not to totally suck at posting updates anymore. Leave reviews & such so I can know how well I did this chapter.~_

* * *

"Lin Sheng, that dreadful girl is _still _hanging onto Reaver," Aieka hissed as she bounded into her cousin's dining hall. Sheng all but ignored his irate co-conspirator, currently busy eating his lunch & relaxing. The pretty server at his side was coyly flirting & pampering him, & he wasn't one to turn down a girl working so hard to get into his bed later.

"Sheng, are you listening?"

"Yes, but I'm a tad bit busy trying to eat."

"Well curb your libido for a few moments so we can discuss how we'll be getting rid of that eyesore!"

Sighing, the king sat up, looking over to see Aieka with her arms crossed & her face flushed. She had a rather unladylike look on her face & seemed amusingly distressed. He needed to find a way to take advantage of this. But how could he tip Aieka over the edge without causing too much of a scene?

"Dear Cousin, I hate to break your heart, but I don't think I'll be helping you," Lin Sheng mumbled as he rubbed his server's cheek absently. Aieka stared at him in utter shock & anger, completely at a loss for words. Well, not for long.

"Why wouldn't you?!" Aieka shrieked, "I thought you were eager to add that trollop to your collection of women!" A small plate of fruits felt the woman's full rage, swiping off of the table & clattering to the floor. Sheng sighed at her dramatic display & shook his head, as if he pitied the woman. This only served to frustrate Aieka more, abounding her way around the table & standing before Sheng, her hands on her hips. If he was willing to press his luck, Sheng would point out that Aieka should maybe have been a general in his army, especially with the fearless way she talked to him.

"Aieka, calm yourself," he sighed, "I decided not to pursue Miss Alice because she & Reaver seem to be genuinely happy with each other. What is the point of trying to take a woman who doesn't give me a second glance? Even I cannot fool myself into thinking she'd prefer me." Aieka held in another angry shout & stomped out of the room, positively livid now. Sheng sighed, rubbing his temple with his fingers in a slow circle before his attention was reverted to his servant busily trying to calm him. Aieka was probably about to do something impulsive, but in all honesty, it wasn't really his concern what trouble she got herself into.

**..._..._...**

"Alice, let us go on a picnic in the royal gardens, just the two of us," Reaver offered as he stepped back into the room, straightening his clothes. It took a considerable amount of effort for him to not pin down the young woman as she tried to figure out the ribbons on her hanfu & fix her unruly bed hair. She was so lovely, even flustered as she was. But, considering all of the effort Alice had put into coaxing Reaver out of bed, & then into the baths, & then into putting on his clothes, it didn't seem Alice would take very kindly to him pouncing on her. She would certainly enjoy it, but he'd still get into trouble with her.

"Shouldn't we be planning our trip into the wilderness?" Alice asked warily to Reaver finally tying her outfit shut, "I have to stop the Crawler, Reaver. If he isn't finished off, no one will ever be safe again." Rather than trying to brush her hair free, Alice opted with tying the long, dark locks up & kept them in place with a ribbon before going to Reaver. She gave him a stern look as she swatted his hands from his own hanfu & straightened his front ribbon, making him smile; she was such a quick learner.

"I figured that the fresh air would allow us to plan easier," Reaver murmured, trying to appear to be more innocent than he was. However, Alice wasn't fooled by the pirate's ploy & crossed her arms, eying him with that adorably serious expression she kept plastered on her face. Damn it, she wasn't going to back down at all today. Oh well, so be it. He could still work with this.

"I promise that we will get planning done before I whisk you off of your feet," Reaver solemnly promised, resisting a smile as Alice laughed.

His travelling companion seemed less on edge than usual, but he wasn't complaining. In fact, it gave him a bit of hope that… what, that the two of them could live happily together? Honestly, he hadn't fully thought through what he was going to do after their trip to stop the Crawler & get his treasure. The original plan was to kill Alice & be done with her for good, but as things were now, he doubted he could do it.

"Very well, I will go with you on a picnic," Alice conceded, "_If_ you promise to start planning with me." With a sigh, Reaver nodded & kissed Alice's forehead before he released her. Out of the corner of his eye, he could have sworn he saw someone fleeing out of the corner of his eye, but let it be for the moment & accompanied Alice to the kitchen for their picnic food, but not without his gun. Something didn't feel quite right, & his gut feelings were rarely wrong.

**..._..._...**

In the kitchen, Alice & Reaver's meal was made rather promptly, the maids sending them out with fresh fruit, warm curry over jasmine rice, & a nice wine with tarts; there had even been a little fuss over how Reaver & Alice got their own tarts, him with a heavy blueberry, & her with a sweet strawberry. The two went out to the Royal gardens & set up under one of the imported Western trees Lin Sheng had inside the impressive landscape.

The food was delicious, & Reaver was delighted to watch Alice as she shamelessly gorged herself on the exotic food, giving him a shocking speech about what her home in her old world had been like, & how she used to have a big crush on the curry delivery boy before her mom banged him. It was a story so candid & amusing, Reaver wondered why he'd never paid attention to Alice's life before Albion before; oh yes, back then, she'd simply been a means to an end, & a lovely notch on his bedpost. Who knew that he'd be dining with a woman so modestly like this, & considering a serious future with her? It figured that he would have to find himself a woman from a completely other world.

Begrudgingly, Reaver drew out maps with Alice before they grabbed their desert, the two of them finally agreeing on a plan of action before the wine & & tarts were pulled out. Reaver uncorked the wine while Alice sliced the tarts & stole a small piece from his, the pirate quirking an eyebrow before he evened the score & stole a kiss from her. Alice willingly took her punishment for once & toasted with the pirate after, the two of them downing much of their wine before they dug into their tarts.

"Alice, this is simply delicious," Reaver said a bit happily as he finished the first half of his tart, "But then I'm in such good company." Looking over to look at his wife enjoying her own tart, Reaver was confused to see her slumped over a bit instead, holding onto her throat. What the hell?

"Alice?"

"I c-can't…" she rasped, "I c-can't brea-" Alice slumped forward & Reaver caught her as her wine spilled from her hand, making the pirate instantly snap to attention. He stole the glass from Alice & smelled the wine more closely as Alice's gasping began to deepen more; she was running out of time, & someone had poisoned their drinks with a very potent toxin. But why was he okay?

"Son of a bitch," Reaver growled, looking over the spread when he realized the only thing both of them hadn't shared was the tarts, That would explain why _he_ was okay, & why Alice wasn't dead already. When she'd tasted his pie, she'd ingested a bit of the antidote. Reaver narrowed his eyes & ripped out a large piece of the tart & shoved it hastily into Alice's lips, holding her tight against him as she tried to free herself & focus on her breathing.

"Damn it, eat it Alice," Reaver hissed, forcing her to shut her mouth, "Chew it & swallow it, right now. It's your only hope, silly girl."

"I c-can-"

"_DO IT, ALICE."_

Letting out a pitiful whimper so unlike her, Alice helplessly tried to chew & breathe at the same time as Reaver watched over her, shoving another piece of the tart into her mouth after she swallowed. Alice clung to him & trembled as she obediently ate the other half of the tart piece by piece, her breathing erratic but more deep after a couple more minutes. God, he'd been so close to losing her. The mere thought of Alice dying just now… it was unthinkable. He really couldn't live without her anymore, it seemed.

"Alice, don't you dare ever leave me," Reaver murmured into his wife's forehead as she passed out against him. She was still trembling, & felt so tiny against him, so small & defenseless. It wasn't right for her to be like this, clinging to life & so pathetic; not his Alice, the spitfire, reckless woman that throw herself into danger. Whoever did this was going to suffer the worst death imaginable, & he would relish every moment of destroying them.

Reaver was on a warpath.

* * *

_Author's Note:_

_It's on like Donkey Kong. :I_


	33. I Am Reaver

_Author's Note:_

_Part two of "now you've fucked up." Enjoy, my lovelies!~_

* * *

All was not well in Lin Sheng's castle. When Reaver returned Alice to their room & tucked her into bed, he ordered nearby soldier to bring two of his crew over. When the two burly, menacing looking thugs were dragged into the room, fresh from a nearby pub, he greeted them from the bedside, the wine bottle still in his hand & his eyes wild. Reaver was ready for a fight.

"I want the two of you to keep a close eye on Alice," Reaver ordered the men as they drew near, "I don't care if the king himself comes over; if anyone insists on getting close to my wife, snap their neck & get whatever information you can get out of them." The men nodded obediently, standing in attention as their boss took off down the hall, his boots resounding in the halls as they hit the polished floors.

The pirate king's first stop was the very kitchen that he & Alice had received their wine & tarts. The pretty Samarkanian girl who had served him the desserts had no time to prepare herself before the pirate roughly grabbed her by the shoulder & slung her against a near wall. Food & dishes fell to the floor as Reaver slammed the wine onto the near counter & lifted the oriental girl by her neck, her toes barely scraping the floor as he brought her eye level. There was no denying Reaver's anger as he glared at her, his demeanor more like a beast than a man. In the distance, Reaver could make out screaming & terror as the other workers cleared out the kitchen, but he was too busy dealing with the task at hand to listen to it.

"Why did you poison us? Why did you poison _Alice_?" Reaver asked directly in the girl's native tongue. The server shook her head in ignorance, but this proved to only anger Reaver more & he squeezed tighter on her neck, watching her squirm & writhe in an attempt to free herself.

"I d-didn't!" she choked out, catching Reaver's attention for a moment before he released her a & allowed her to breathe. She slumped back against the wall as tears rolled down her cheeks, Reaver stooping down with her to keep eye contact.

"Who. Poisoned. _My wife_?" Reaver flatly repeated in a terrifyingly quiet voice. The server girl paled at the look in his eyes & shook her head, flinching when he reached his hand up again, obviously ready to repeat what he'd just done.

"I d-don't know who poisoned her!" the girl insisted, pressing herself back hard against the wall, "B-but… the tarts & wine… t-they were a gift from Lady Aieka. I s-swear to you, I only served the food she insisted on giving to you."

The blood in Reaver's veins ran cold as he processed the girl's words, a steady understanding clicking into his mind now. So Aieka believed she could get away with something his underhanded towards him. He knew the woman was cold & willing to have her enemies killed, but this was different. She let her jealousy blind her to the point this time that she dirtied her own hands to kill Alice, & was sloppy. Did she really think he'd be accepting of this?

Standing abruptly, Reaver left the gasping server onto the floor & marched himself right up to Aieka's room, but not without grabbing the wine bottle again.

**…_..._...**

The stupid woman didn't even suspect that he'd figured her little games out, greeting him in one of her sexy, Arabic slave outfits that he knew oh-so-well; it was dark blue & sheer, showing off the woman's lovely frame & leaving almost nothing to the imagination. At one time, the sight of her dressed in these clothes would have made his mind draw a blank, & his attention would be diverted to bedding her, but no, this time, she'd gone too far. Her dark brown, almond-shaped eyes didn't lure him in, her soft pink lips didn't invite him, & her soft, feminine curves were no longer enough to entice him.

Without missing a beat, Reaver's hand reached out to grab Aieka's arm, the woman letting out an indignant squeal as she was tossed onto the ground, the pirates boot pressing down insistently on her abdomen as he looked down at her, shaking the wine bottle over her. Aieka paled visibly, her pretty eyes widening as she realized what Reaver was holding, & that he'd figured out her scheme. Immediately, she began to squirm, Reaver pouring the wine onto her in small bits, laughing a bit as she panicked at the sight of the wine soaking into her dress & flesh.

"Aieka, do you think I'm stupid?" Reaver asked. He let the woman squirm out from under him & watched her try to crawl to one of her cabinets, probably to try & find the antidote to her poison. He was quite amused to see the usually so-composed woman shaking & fighting to keep herself alive, her breathing already a little labored, with so little wine.

"I d-did it for you," Aieka insisted as she grabbed a vial from her cabinet, "I did it for us. Y-you can't seriously want to be with a little trifle like that, can you? I am the one who is everything you need!" Reaver's face contorted to something unreadable before he went back to Aieka & grabbed her by her dainty, small neck. The woman tried her best to gain footing as he slammed her hard against her cabinet, pulled her from it, & slammed her back again. Aieka gasped in pain & dropped her precious vial onto the floor as he smiled, raising the tainted wine bottle to her lips.

"Aieka, you mean as much to me as the disease-ridden whores of Bowerstone," he growled close to her face, "Never did you measure up to Alice. _Never._" With no further warning, Reaver shoved the neck of the wine bottle into Aieka's mouth, the woman gaining a surprising amount of strength as she tried to shove Reaver off, but to no avail. She was forced to swallow some of the wine before it poured from her mouth & down her chest, Reaver moving back & kicking her antidote to the doorway.

Aieka crumbled to the floor & gasped for air, her pretty lips turning blue & purple as she reached for someone at the door. With a frown, Reaver turned to see Alice, looking into the room shocked. Damn it, how much had she seen?

"Reaver, don't do this," Alice begged, her eyes filling up with tears. Reaver stayed quiet as she mouthed the word _please_, his gaze unable to leave her tormented eyes, those beautiful eyes he loved to see in her moment of ecstasy, not terror. Was his duty to Alice now, or his pride? As Reaver thought about his inner demons, Alice dropped to the floor & grabbed the vial. She ran to Aieka & tried to get the women to drink the contents, but it was too late, the poison had closed her throat. Alice let out a disgruntled whimper & glared up at Reaver, giving him the angriest expression he'd ever seen a woman wear.

"Y-you did this!" she yelled, clutching the woman as she began to seizure & fade, "She's going to suffer, because of you!"

"No, she isn't."

It was an impulse, but Reaver wanted nothing more than to stop Alice's anger, to alleviate the situation. Without much thought at all, he wrapped his arm around Alice's waist & dragged her from Aieka, doing an all-too-familiar routine of pulling out his gun & pulling the trigger. He could hear Alice scream as the gunshot fired in Aieka's room. It was deathly quiet after, the woman under them still & quiet, her eyes still wide open & filled with tears. A single gunshot wound graced her between the eyes now, ending the suffering Alice had accused Reaver of causing. Did he not understand that he was doing all of this for her, that Aieka deserved so much worse than he did?

"H-how could you?" Alice asked, shoving herself from Reaver, "I know that you've killed, but that was… it was barbaric." Reaver felt himself harden at the disgust in Alice's eyes, the worrying & indecision of the past few days gone. Of course, Alice would never truly accept him. She was always under the delusion that he was some Prince Charming character with a naughty side; she thought she was going to drag Aaron out & leave Reaver tucked away into his shadows. But he wasn't Aaron, not anymore. He would not be so weak as his past self was.

Reaching out again, Reaver grabbed Alice's arm & dragged her closer, his hand fisting into her hair. She winced as they were pressed chest to chest, her breath shaking as she continued to look at him with that pitiful expression that he'd already gotten bored of. He didn't need this woman, who in the end, was just like the others. She would only bring him to ruin.

"Alice, I am who I've always been," Reaver said in a slow voice, "_I am Reaver_."

With that liberating statement, Reaver shoved Alice away from him, as though her very presence repulsed him, & left her alone in the room with Aieka's body. Alice sunk to her knees & cradled the dead woman to her as the sound of rushing guards finally came to her ears.

She struggled not to cry, but her vision was already completely blurred with tears as she closed Aieka's eyes, knowing that she could never go back to how things were again. Not now.

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_Author's Note:_

_Yeaaah, it's gonna be dark for a while. Sorry, but this is Reaver we're talking about. Reviews, please!_


	34. Reboot In Progress

_**My Dear Readers,**_

_**As much as I hate to give you all bad news, I will be completely rebooting this story from the ground up before I continue. I feel like at some point, the integrity of the story has been depreciated. & really, it's my fault for not having foresight & planning everything out properly.**_

_**I jumped into the story too hastily, pushed things too dramatically, & missed wonderful opportunities to delve deeper into certain characters' pasts. & as weird as this may sound, I feel like I have let my readers down tremendously. I am capable of entertaining everyone much more than I have been, & refuse to keep my story in the shape it's in.**_

_**But fear not; I have the rest of my story planned out now, so I should be able to post at least a chapter a day, if not more than that.**_

_**Sincerest Apologies,**_

_**Lala~**_

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_**Update 2/1/2014:**_

_**The first chapter of the reboot has been posted. Please let me know if I was able to improve, you guys.~**_


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